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Planning a country escape these school holidays? 4 ways to avoid clogging up the emergency department

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-riley-1499452">Katherine Riley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebekkah-middleton-314433">Rebekkah Middleton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Winter school holidays are either here or coming up, depending on where in Australia you live. Maybe you’re planning a <a href="https://www.tra.gov.au/en/domestic/domestic-tourism-results">rural escape</a>. Rural tourism is crucial for job growth and sustainability of small rural towns. However, for rural emergency departments, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/am/holiday-medico-shortages-in-rural-and-remote-australia/103266540">school holidays</a> are often the busiest times. No-one plans a trip to the emergency department on holidays. But if you need health care, there are often other ways of accessing it than turning up at a rural hospital. Here’s why it’s so important to leave rural emergency departments for life-threatening illness or injuries, and some other options for seeking care. <h2>We’re short of doctors and nurses</h2> The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health">reports</a> a significant shortfall of nurses and specialist doctors in rural towns compared with staffing levels in big cities. This means many small rural emergency departments only have nurses on staff, with doctors on call or consulted remotely from a larger hospital. In a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755599X2300143X">study</a> published earlier this year, my colleagues and I discovered this dynamic was especially challenging for rural emergency nurses when critically ill patients presented. One nurse told us: "We need more staff. I mean, I look at these emergency TV shows, and you see them in Kings Cross at the big hospitals there or overseas, they get a phone call […] there’s a resus coming in. Everyone’s standing around the bed with all their signs on, the airway/circulation/team leader […] and here, we have two people. It’s just so different. It’s just a false sense of reality. It’s ridiculous." So emergency departments should be used for <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Hospitals/Going_To_hospital/Publications/keep-ed-emergencies.pdf">emergencies only</a>. These include: <ul> <li>sudden collapse</li> <li>chest pain or pressure lasting more than ten minutes</li> <li>breathing difficulty</li> <li>serious mental health condition</li> <li>uncontrollable bleeding.</li> </ul> When emergency departments are used responsibly, this can reduce the pressure on staff. It ensures the most seriously ill receive the care they need promptly. <h2>What are my alternatives?</h2> Here are four ways you and your family can be better prepared for your rural holiday and avoid an unnecessary visit to the emergency department. 1. Pack your scripts and medical history summary Bring essential scripts and medications with you. This reduces the need to visit the local emergency department and ensures you have what you need during your stay. Do you have a chronic condition or have had a recent illness or surgery? Make sure you speak to your GP before you go. They can provide a medical health summary that includes your recent treatments and medications. Alternatively, if you have access to <a href="https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/my-health-record">My Health Record</a>, ask your GP to prepare a shared health summary and upload it to your record. If you need medical care, this summary will assist in a timely assessment. 2. Call Healthdirect, NURSE-ON-CALL or 13HEALTH depending on where you are <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/how-healthdirect-can-help-you">Healthdirect</a> is a 24-hour telephone health advice line (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria or 13HEALTH in Queensland). By calling the relevant number, you will be connected to a registered nurse who will ask a series of questions and provide evidence-based advice and guidance. The Healthdirect website also offers an interactive <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/symptom-checker">symptom checker</a> to advise whether you should see a GP, go to an emergency department, or manage your symptoms at home (or in this case, on holidays): <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au">Healthdirect</a> - 1800 022 222 </li> <li> <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/nurse-on-call">NURSE-ON-CALL</a> (Vic) - 1300 60 60 24 </li> <li> <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/health/contacts/advice/13health">13HEALTH</a> (Qld) - 13 43 25 84. </li> </ul> 3. Need a GP? How about GP telehealth services? For minor health concerns or non-urgent issues, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/how-emily-took-advantage-of-one-of-the-few-good-things-to-come-out-of-covid-20240507-p5fpg3.html">GP telehealth services</a> are a remote-access option that can be used when away from home. Before you go away, check with your GP to see if they offer a <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/health-technologies-and-digital-health/about/telehealth">telehealth service</a>. 4. Go to an Urgent Care Clinic The Australian government has funded the opening of <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/find-a-medicare-ucc/about">Urgent Care Clinics</a> across the country. These clinics provide medical assessment and care for urgent illnesses or injuries. They have been created as a solution to divert people away from busy emergency departments. But these Urgent Care Clinics are not suitable for people experiencing emergency or life-threatening conditions. Urgent Care Clinics are ideal for illnesses and injuries that would require urgent treatment such as gastroenteritis, minor infections, lacerations and back pain. Check <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/find-a-medicare-ucc">here</a> to find your closest clinic. <hr /> Please keep the emergency department for life-threatening illnesses or injuries, and if needed, call 000 for an ambulance immediately.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/232262/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-riley-1499452">Katherine Riley</a>, Lecturer, School of Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebekkah-middleton-314433">Rebekkah Middleton</a>, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/planning-a-country-escape-these-school-holidays-4-ways-to-avoid-clogging-up-the-emergency-department-232262">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Better Homes and Gardens star's dream rural property up for grabs

Better Homes and Gardens star Charlie Albone and his wife interior designer Juliet Love, have listed their dream Ourimbah home. The 2.07ha property located on the Central Coast has been listed by McGrath Gosford agents Peter Morris and Nate Waters with a $3m to $3.2m price guidance. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home sits deep behind a gated entry, which ensures privacy and is surrounded by plenty of greenery with its garden alcoves, a stunning wisteria-covered arbour, fruit trees, and a few garden beds for vegetables. There is also a feature dry-stone wall fire pit built by Scottish stonemason Callum Grey, that's perfect for winter and colder nights. The English cottage-style home comes with a separate self-contained unit that includes a bedroom and kitchenette. The home is every animal lovers' dream with five paddocks that come with animal shelters, plumbed water troughs and a three-stall stable. For those hot summer days, whoever the new owners are can dip into the saltwater pool located on the property. The property is equipped with 100,000-litre tanks and has town water. Albone and his family bought the property in 2012 for $840,000 which means that if it was sold at the price guide then it's almost four times the original price they bought it at. The top acreage sale at Ourimbah currently sits at $3,725,000 for a 13.93ha Dog Trap Rd six-bedroom house, which sold in 2021. Images: news.com.au

Real Estate

Mental health: how living in the city and country compare

Is it better to live in a city or in the countryside? While urban dwellers may benefit from more employment opportunities, better access to public services alongside cultural activities and entertainment, people who live in rural areas often argue they have a better sense of community and greater access to nature. A number of studies have sought to determine whether city or country is better for mental health by drawing on national survey data from the <a href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/">UK Household Longitudinal Study</a> (UKHLS). This is a national survey which has followed approximately 40,000 UK households since 2009. Each year, data is collected on a range of social, economic and behavioural factors. This is what some of these studies have found when it comes to mental health and where you live: <h2>Physical activity</h2> Research has shown that physical activity can reduce <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379719302466?casa_token=_QxDT_feTekAAAAA:Sd_9jfW0ukJY1fUCkUx43sTEGHkNBiwqViPI4-HfSx-LngPhuxBjGMRQrokDmpYlZIwzR7wDzA">anxiety</a> and <a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194">depression</a>, alongside <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223980.2018.1470487">improving mood</a> and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/tbm/article-abstract/10/5/1098/5921063?login=true">wellbeing</a>. Indeed, UK health guidelines recommend physical activity for the <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222">treatment of depression</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-adults-and-older-adults/physical-activity-for-adults-and-older-adults-19-and-over-text-of-the-infographic">improved quality of life</a>. One easy way of getting more physical activity in your life is through active travel – such as cycling or walking on your way to work or running errands. So how does urban or rural dwelling impact on this? According to UKHLS research which looked at data from 35,295 people in the UK, urban residents were 64% more likely than rural residents to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00038-014-0578-2">engage frequently in active travel</a>. This is likely because there are more active travel opportunities in urban environments where there are shorter distances between facilities, shops, offices and homes. Research shows that the more active travel a person does, the better their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140520300487">mental health</a>. In fact, the mental health benefits of active travel may be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28153647">just as good</a> as physical activity for leisure. So, based on this measure, people living in the city may have better mental health overall. But while urban life may offer more opportunities for active travel compared to living in the countryside, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still many ways to incorporate physical activity into your daily life for mental health benefits wherever you live. <h2>Access to green space</h2> Access to green space (such as parks) is believed to support many aspects of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3">health and wellbeing</a> – including your <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09638237.2020.1755027?journalCode=ijmh20">mental health</a>. To investigate whether nearby green space was related to mental wellbeing, data from the 2009-2010 UKHLS study was combined with data on the proportion of green space within different areas of England. The analysis found the amount of local green space did not actually <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-017-4401-x">predict mental wellbeing</a>. What this suggests is that while green space may be important for mental wellbeing, having it nearby doesn’t necessarily mean people will engage with it. As such, we can’t assume rural living is inherently more beneficial just because nature is more accessible. This aligns with the findings of a 2021 study, which showed that living near green space <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-87675-0#Sec2">did not improve mental health outcomes</a>. However, the analysis did find that the more frequently a person visited green spaces, the better their mental wellbeing. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126">Meaningful engagement with green spaces</a> (such as taking photographs) may also be more important for reaping the mental health benefits of nature. As such, urban living may be just as good as rural dwelling when it comes to the mental health benefits of green space. <h2>Air quality</h2> Numerous studies have found links between high levels of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6447209/">air pollution</a> and <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/exposure-to-air-pollution-linked-with-increased-mental-health-service-use-new-study-finds">poorer mental health</a>. A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161813X22001668?via%253Dihub">review of 111 studies</a> even suggests that polluted air may cause changes in the brain regions that control emotions. This may increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression compared to those who breathe cleaner air. To investigate the impact of air pollution on mental health, researchers combined data on air pollution from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with UKHLS survey data, alongside data from the British Household Panel Survey (which looked at 10,000 UK households and ran from 1991 to 2009). This allowed them to analyse data from the years 1991-2014. The analysis found that people who were exposed to higher levels of air pollution reported lower levels of <a href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/research/publications/524260">life satisfaction</a>. The study indicated that the negative effect of air pollution on life satisfaction can be equivalent to major life events, such as divorce. In general, urban areas have between <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lanplh/PIIS2542-5196(21)00255-2.pdf">two to four times the levels of air pollution</a> than rural areas, suggesting people who live in cities may be more likely to experience worse mental health as a result. However, the agricultural industry also generates <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/aqeg/2800829_Agricultural_emissions_vfinal2.pdf">high levels of air pollution</a> meaning some rural dwellers in certain settings may also be at risk. <h2>Regional variation in wellbeing</h2> Of course, these are just a few of the factors that affect a person’s day to day mental health – and it appears neither city nor country living is significantly better than the other when it comes to your mental health. Indeed, research has found that the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00343404.2019.1645953?needAccess=true">region of the country</a> you live in may be more important when it comes to your mental health than whether you live in the city or the countryside. There are many factors that may explain this effect, including the cost of living in certain areas, alongside local politics and a person’s economic status. Where we live is clearly very important when it comes to our mental health. But the place that works best for your mental health will depend largely on broader social and economic factors as well as which aspects of your lifestyle are most important to you. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/mental-health-how-living-in-the-city-and-country-compare-200402" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

Loretta Lynn was more than a great songwriter – she was a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women

Loretta Lynn’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/arts/music/loretta-lynn-dead.html">death at the age of 90</a> marks the end of a remarkable life of achievement in country music. Her dramatic life story – retold in the 1980 award-winning film “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080549/">Coal Miner’s Daughter</a>,” based on <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">Lynn’s 1976 biography</a> – made Lynn a household name. She grew up in poverty in a small Kentucky mining town, marrying and starting a family as a teenager before reaching unprecedented heights of commercial success as a recording artist of modern country music. But as a <a href="https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/music/faculty/faculty-directory.host.html/content/shared/arts-sciences/music/new-faculty-profiles/vander-wel-stephanie.html">scholar of gender and country music</a> and author of “<a href="https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p084959">Hillbilly Maidens, Okies, and Cowgirls: Women’s Country Music, 1930-1960</a>,” I know that Lynn represented more than just star power and fame in country music – she spoke to the concerns of women, especially white working-class women in rural and suburban America. <h2>Speaking up, singing out</h2> Lynn’s rise in the 1960s took place when country music appeared tied to conservative politics. It was a time when Merle Haggard’s “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/california-scholarship-online/book/28551/chapter-abstract/238414028?redirectedFrom=fulltext">Okie from Muskogee</a>,” with its attacks on counterculture, marijuana and draft-card burning, became a populist anthem for the country’s cultural conservatives. In contrast, Lynn’s songwriting continued the legacy of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-kitty-wells-20120717-story.html">Kitty Wells</a>, <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/09/25/country-music-hall-famer-jean-shepard-dead-82/76568704/">Jean Shepard</a> and other women in country music who were willing to speak up about the concerns of American women. Lynn’s songs defied societal expectations by connecting her musical representations of working-class and rural women to broader social issues affecting women across the U.S. She aimed for her music to articulate the fears, dreams and anger of women living in a patriarchal society. It railed against those who idealized women’s domestic roles and demonized outspoken feminists. <h2>‘There’s gonna be some changes’</h2> Specifically, for a generation of predominantly white women in the 1960s and 1970s who did not identify as urban or college-educated feminists, Lynn’s music offered candid conversations about their private lives as wives and mothers. As Lynn <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">stated in her autobiography</a>, her audience recognized her as a “mother and a wife and a daughter, who had feelings just like other women.” She did this through clever and witty songwriting and lyrical techniques that combined the vernacular of her audience with her resonant voice. Meanwhile, the song arrangements of Owen Bradley of Decca Records directed Lynn’s musical talents to a broad audience. He combined the edgier sound of honky-tonk instrumentation – electric guitars, pedal steels and fiddles – with the polish of the Nashville sound by including the smooth sounding vocal harmonies of the vocal quartet the <a href="http://www.jordanaires.net/">Jordanaires</a>, as heard in numerous country, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll recordings. This provided a sound of strength and conviction to accompany Lynn’s bold and forthright songs as she laid bare the double standards of gender roles. With her assertive and resonant voice, Lynn, in her 1966 track “<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/loretta-lynn-best-lyrics-songwriting-175002/">Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)</a>,” warns men not to expect women to be waiting at home, sexually available for them after they’d spent the night drinking: <blockquote> Well, you thought I’d be waitin’ up when you came home last night You’d been out with all the boys and you ended up half tight Liquor and love, they just don’t mix Leave that bottle or me behind And don’t come home a drinkin’ with lovin’ on your mind </blockquote> In a similar vein, Lynn, who <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">claimed that her songs about wayward husbands</a> were inspired by her fraught marriage to Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn, confronted the “other woman” in songs such as 1966’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and 1968’s “Fist City.” <h2>A lasting legacy</h2> Fully aware that her personalized accounts became political messages for her fan base of women, Lynn co-wrote and recorded “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” in 1975. It was a rare foray into the topic of women’s reproductive rights for country music. In typical fashion, though, Lynn approached the issue from the perspective of a rural working-class woman: <blockquote> I’m tired of all your crowin’ How you and your hens play While holdin’ a couple in my arms Another’s on the way This chicken’s done tore up her nest And I’m ready to make a deal And ya can’t afford to turn it down ‘Cause you know I’ve got the pill </blockquote> The song’s sexual innuendos about cavorting roosters and hens incorporated the double entendres and humor of early blues and country, while providing a frank discussion about female sexual pleasure. It also addressed the right for women to take control over their bodies and reproduction. The song came out just two years after <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/410/113/">the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade</a>, granting women the ability to govern their own reproductive health through abortion. Indeed, Lynn commented on the Supreme Court’s ruling in her autobiography “Personally, I think you should prevent unwanted pregnancy rather than get an abortion. It would be wrong for me. But I’m thinking of all the poor girls who get pregnant when they don’t want to be, and how they should have a choice instead of leaving it up to some politician or doctor who don’t have to raise the baby.” Her recording “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” spoke to married women who wanted to be able to space out their children and prevent unwanted pregnancies so that they could pursue educational and professional opportunities. In interviews, Lynn discussed at length how female listeners flocked to her after concerts, relieved to find a public figure with whom they felt comfortable to discuss birth control. Not everyone was thrilled, though. Male country <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-country-stations-banned-loretta-lynns-the-pill-it-became-her-biggest-pop-hit">disc jockeys banned</a> “The Pill” from the airwaves. Nonetheless, the recording became her biggest seller in 1975 and furthered Lynn’s reputation as a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women. Her music also inspired the women in country music who followed her to further explore issues of gender roles. Lynn’s legacy lives on in the music of female country artists – such as <a href="https://www.reba.com/">Reba McEntire</a> and <a href="https://www.mirandalambert.com/">Miranda Lambert</a> – who learned from Lynn how to create music that confronts and triumphs over the societal obstacles that women face. While all of country music will mourn the death of Lynn, it is perhaps her female fans who will feel the loss more acutely. Lynn gave them a social and political voice, and helped make country music a genre relevant to the complexities of women’s lives. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/loretta-lynn-was-more-than-a-great-songwriter-she-was-a-spokeswoman-for-white-rural-working-class-women-191932" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

How feasible are EVs for remote Australia, really?

It’s often assumed that <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/cosmos-briefing-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="URL" data-id="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/cosmos-briefing-electric-vehicles/">electric vehicles (EVs)</a> aren’t practical in regional Australia – the distances are too big. But a new analysis casts doubt on this, suggesting that over 90% of Australians in remote northern communities could get to their nearest service hub town in a short-range EV – without stopping to charge once. The analysis, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2022.2086720" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in Australian Geographer, looks at all of the remote communities in northern Australia (that is, everywhere north of the 28th parallel). “Electric vehicles shouldn’t be left in the too-hard basket. It’s an unequitable and unfair path forward if remote and regional communities are the last ones left driving diesel vehicles, especially as they will be some of the most impacted by catastrophic climate change” says co-author Dr Björn Sturmberg, a research leader in the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program at the Australian National University. “Yes, the barriers are obvious – large distances, unsealed roads. But the benefits are equally obvious. It’s difficult and expensive to get diesel out to these communities, and electric engines are simpler and more robust than fuel engines.” The large-scale analysis looked at remote communities’ access to towns with populations over either 5,000, or 1,000. “The model of service delivery in all these communities, at a government infrastructure level, has been what they call a ‘hub and spoke model’ for quite a while now,” explains Sturmberg. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><iframe title="Cosmos Shorts: How do electric vehicles compare to conventional vehicles?" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P7k0iIRVzUs?start=7&feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> </figure> “We consider small service hubs of 1,000 people, or larger service hubs of over 5,000 people. Healthcare, banking, groceries or whatnot – those services are offered in these hubs, and members of remote communities drive to them.” The researchers examined whether towns of either 1,000+ or 5,000+ people were reachable by remote communities with either short-range EVs (336km), or long-range EVs (660km). This created four different scenarios. <figure class="wp-block-table"> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td>Direct access to…</td> <td>Towns of 5,000+</td> <td>Towns of 1,000+</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Short-range vehicle (336 km)</td> <td>81%</td> <td>93%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Long-range vehicle (660 km)</td> <td>95%</td> <td><99%</td> </tr> </tbody> </table><figcaption>Percentage of people in remote northern Australia who could access their nearest big town with an EV.</figcaption></figure> They found that 81% of people in remote communities would be able to get to a town with a population of more than 5,000 in a short-range EV, without stopping to charge the car. An additional 15% of people would need only one charging stop to reach a big town. With long-range vehicles, 95% of the regional population would be able to make it to a town of over 5,000 directly, and 4% would need one stop. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p197221-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/technology/evs-remote-australia/#wpcf7-f6-p197221-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page spai-bg-prepared" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> But slightly smaller towns, with a population of 1,000 or more, were even more accessible. Over 93% of the regional population would be able to drive directly to such a town with a short-range vehicle, and just 0.3% of people would need to stop to charge more than once. Nearly everyone (99.7%) could get to a small town in a long-range vehicle, without stopping. Obviously, residents of these communities aren’t always headed to the nearest service town when they’re driving. But given that EVs can also be charged at houses and private buildings, Sturmberg says that travelling between these communities should also be feasible. The study is preliminary, and the researchers point out there is still a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/ev-policies-election-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">range of barriers</a> to <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/the-norway-of-australia-what-does-good-electric-vehicle-policy-look-like/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EV uptake</a> in regional and remote Australia. “For example, we still don’t have clear data on the impact of unsealed roads or different conditions on the effective range of electric vehicles,” says co-author Dr Francis Markham, a research fellow at ANU’s Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research. “And information on the performance of electric vehicles in very hot conditions is still lacking. However, we are confident that electric vehicles do have a place in regional and remote Australia.” <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><iframe title="Cosmos Shorts: How to increase electric vehicles in Australia" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ygq3EzHsH0Q?feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> </figure> In their paper, the researchers say that more work should be done to investigate what residents of these communities want and need to make EVs a viable option for them. “I just really hope that this work motivates particularly the NT government, but also the governments of Queensland and Western Australia, to put some of their resources into charging infrastructure, and electric vehicle policies for remote communities, rather than just putting chargers along the tourist routes and highways,” says Sturmberg. “Community members should drive into these towns, do their shopping, have somewhere to charge up, and then be able to travel back. “That’s really what we need – particularly as most people are not going to be buying Teslas with ranges of 600km, but Nissan Leafs with ranges of 300km.”  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=197221&title=How+feasible+are+EVs+for+remote+Australia%2C+really%3F" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/evs-remote-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ellen Phiddian</a>. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

What makes doctors likely to stay in the countryside?

A <a href="https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51476" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> published this week in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) investigates the factors that make Australian doctors more likely to practice in rural communities after graduation. “An adequate rural medical workforce is critical for continuity of care and the health and wellbeing of rural communities,” the study authors write. The research looked at data from doctors trained at 11 Australian medical schools, tracking how many of them were practicing medicine in metropolitan, regional or rural areas of Australia five and eight years following their graduation in 2011. Rural origins and training experiences are key Medical graduates who came from a rural background themselves, or who had undertaken extended rural placement during their training, were significantly more likely to move to or remain in rural practice. Graduates who fulfilled both categories – who were of rural origin and had extended rural training experience – were about 3.6 times as likely to be working in regional areas and 4.8 times as likely to be working in rural areas eight years after graduation, compared to graduates who came from cities and had not completed extended rural placement. Katie Willson, a GP junior registrar currently working in Murray Bridge, fits this description. She grew up in Toowoomba before moving to Brisbane and then Adelaide, studying medicine through a special rural stream at Flinders University. “As a trainee, I really liked that you were so hands-on,” Willson explains. “A lot of my [metropolitan] colleagues were just trailing at the end of the team in a big hospital. “In the country, I was the one working with the doctor. I found that my skills and knowledge progressed way faster than I expected.” The new study also found that graduates who were not of rural origin but had an extended rural training experience were 2.7 times as likely to be practicing in rural areas eight years after graduation, compared to their metropolitan fellows who had not had this experience. Moving from rural to metro and back again Between the five-year and eight-year timepoints, comparatively few graduates moved from metropolitan to rural locations or vice versa. However, the authors noted that the overall proportion of 2011 graduates practicing in rural locations rose during the study period, from 7.6% at five years post-graduation to 9.4% eight years post-graduation. This suggests doctors may be moving to rural communities after completing training that is more accessible in the cities. Sarah Trewren, originally from Berri in the SA Riverland, completed her medical degree in 2020 and is currently working at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. However, she hopes to return to rural practice in her future career. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p187890-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> “My dad was a rural GP in Berri – he worked there for all my life,” she explains. Trewren moved to Adelaide to attend medical school and participated in the John Flynn placement program, which included a two-week rural placement every year for the first four years of her degree. She went on to complete her fifth-year training in a town in SA’s Barossa Valley. “I have no doubt I will end up rural at some point in life,” Trewren says. “I really love the community feel you get in a rural town and getting to know patients a bit better at the GP clinic.” However, both Trewren and Willson agree that rural practice can be daunting at times for junior doctors. “I think isolation and lack of support is definitely a challenge, and it can be hard keeping up your training and education,” Willson says. “In the city, it’s very much a hierarchical-type situation, so as junior doctors you’ve always got someone above you who you can call,” says Trewren. “You can bounce ideas off each other.” Supporting the rural medical workforce The new research findings point to promising strategies to increase a sustainable rural medical workforce in Australia. “This study confirms what previous research had suggested – that we can potentially grow the rural medical workforce by increasing the proportion of rural origin students admitted to medical schools,” says Georgina Luscombe, an associate professor at the University of Sydney’s School of Rural Health and senior author on the new study. “But also, by increasing opportunities for students originating from metropolitan areas to have those extended placement opportunities in clinical schools in places like Dubbo, Orange and Broome.” That conclusion chimes well with both Trewren and Willson’s experiences. “It just seems that the rural kids are the ones more willing to do the rural placements and the rural experiences and actually enjoy it … they know what to expect in terms of lifestyle and distance,” Trewren says. Willson credits her extensive rural training experience, in particular, for setting her on her current path. “The thing that really changed my view in my whole career trajectory was placement,” she says. “Coming from a rural background, you might have developed that initial interest and passion, but if you didn’t get a good experience during training as a doctor then you’re less likely to choose it.” <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=187890&title=What+makes+doctors+likely+to+stay+in+the+countryside%3F" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/retain-rural-medical-workforce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/matilda-handlsey-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matilda Handsley-Davis</a>. Matilda is a science writer at Cosmos. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide. Image: Getty Images </div>

Domestic Travel

Get packing! A new airline is making it even easier to go rural

Budget airline Bonza has revealed where it will be landing and taking off from as part of its ‘Here for Allstralia’ campaign. Having said it wouldn’t be competing with fellow budget airlines Jetstar and Rex for capital city routes, Bonza announced it would be offering 25 routes across regional Australia. The airline, which was first introduced in 2021, still requires regulatory approval before it can begin hitting the skies, but is expected to take-off from the middle of this year. “Since announcing Bonza to the world late last year, we’ve always said we wouldn’t just fly between Australia’s three largest cities and instead give people in the regions more choice,” Tim Jordan, Bonza’s CEO and former Virgin Blue executive, said in a media release. Mr Jordan said the announcement also came as the “largest” in “Australian aviation history”. “With destinations ranging from Albury to the Whitsundays, travellers will now be able to fly, instead of impossibly long road trips, as well as fly direct without a stopover in a major city,” he said. “Aussies can look forward to spending more time at their destination and spending less of their hard earned cash getting there in the first place.” Bonza has said that 80 percent of the initial route network will be heading to previously unserved locations, opening up air travel to even more Aussies in even more locations. The airline is also opening up its recruitment, offering jobs for 200 pilots and cabin crew who were laid off during the pandemic to work at its Sunshine Coast and Melbourne posts. “It’s hard not to have witnessed the devastating impact of the pandemic on many talented pilots and cabin crew,” Mr Jordan <a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/air-aviation/new-airline-bonza-seeking-200-workers-c-6272113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “It’s our hope we can provide roles and development opportunities to some of those impacted.” With at least 8500 workers laid off or made redundant from Qantas alone and a third of Virgin’s staff cut to avoid voluntary administration, it’s safe to say Bonza will be seeing their vacancies filled quickly. The full list of destinations includes: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> VIC </li> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Avalon </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Melbourne </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Mildura </li> </ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> NSW </li> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Albury </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Newcastle </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Port Macquarie </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Coffs Harbour </li> </ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> QLD </li> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Bundaberg </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Cairns </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Mackay </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Gladstone </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Toowoomba Wellcamp </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Sunshine Coast </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Whitsunday Coast </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Townsville </li> </ul> </ul> Image: Bonza

Domestic Travel

Five incredible new tiny houses in Victoria, perfect for a rural escape

Ecotourism tiny house company Tiny Away has added new tiny houses to its portfolio of rural getaways and they’re ready to welcome travellers looking for that perfectly quaint escape. The new houses span Mount Alexander and Moorabool Shire, the High Country, and the Macedon and Yarra Ranges. With the idea of seclusion and switching off becoming a modern-day luxury, these sustainable tiny getaways are perfect for a couple’s escape or for solo travellers looking for the ultimate me-time break. Some houses even have a little more room so you can plan a getaway with the kids, and even your furry friend. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house1.jpg" alt="‘The Sanatorium’, Yackandandah" width="1280" height="720" /> The eco-friendly tiny houses are perfect for travellers seeking alternative and unique accommodation experiences. A step up from glamping, each tiny house offers hot showers, air conditioning, a cosy queen bed, and a kitchenette. Tiny Away now has over 100 unique short-stay tiny house accommodation options across Australia. Its tiny architecturally designed houses are set on private land in rural and regional locations and are designed to get visitors out of the city and into the outdoors. Tiny Away was created for guests to truly disconnect, recharge, and enjoy a minimalist lifestyle with loved ones. “All the properties offer something different. Some are only semi-secluded and close to activities, and others are in the middle of nowhere,” says Jeff Yeo, co-founder of Tiny Away. Quantum Field, Toolangi Located in Toolangi, in the stunning Yarra Valley, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/quantum-field/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this house</a> is surrounded by a charming mix of native and exotic European and Japanese flora, backdropped by a picturesque, swimmable pond. Guests will enjoy a truly tranquil and remote getaway with world-famous wineries and activities right on the doorstep. The property follows ecologically sustainable principles, including a waterless eco-friendly compost toilet and a natural water spring that feeds the property's filtered water. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The Ridge, Korweinguboora Set on farmland in Central Victoria’s Wombat Forest, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/the-ridge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Ridge</a> is surrounded by productive gardens, including a fruit orchard, veggie garden and avenues of deciduous trees, all surrounded by tall eucalypt forests. The farm is home to a small flock of sheep, chickens, a (very) friendly border collie, and abundant birdlife. The rear of the property has 5 acres of forest to explore with elevated views beyond to the Wombat Forest. The nearby forest includes lush fern-covered gullies which form the headwaters of the Moorabool River. Just 10 minutes from the house is the thriving township of Daylesford, and close to all that the Macedon Ranges has to offer including mineral springs, truffle farms, wineries, organic produce, day spas, and fine dining. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The Sanatorium, Yackandandah Tucked in a stunning, elevated bushing seeing with panoramic views cradled above the Yackandandah Valley lies <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/the-sanatorium/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sanatorium</a>. The tiny house’s panoramic views allow guests to experience clean mountain air, abundant wildlife and birdlife, enjoyed within a well maintained and beautifully presented farm setting. The house is framed perfectly by cattle grazing, meandering horses and surrounding countryside. The nearby Stanley Range provides mountain biking, horse riding and trail bike activities, as well as boutique breweries, distilleries, wineries and restaurants found in and around Yackandandah. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house4.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Tiny Hideaway, Newham Hidden in a 97-acre property surrounded by farmland on all sides, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/tiny-hideaway-at-cloverhills/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiny Hideaway</a> is surrounded by long winding roads, perfect for walking experiences - or bring your bike, go horse riding, or just simply appreciate nature. The Cobaw Ranges are just a short drive for those who want to do some serious hiking. The house is in Newham, a small hamlet in the Macedon Ranges, nestled between Woodend, Kyneton, and Lancefield, making it an ideal position to explore the country town hospitality of the regions’ cafes and restaurants, as well as wineries and gin distilleries. Newham is close to the iconic Hanging Rock and nearby Hanging Rock Winery. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house5.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Treetops Trail, Walmer <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/treetops-trail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Treetops Trail</a> is set in a beautiful bush setting, amongst the trees, just five minutes from the historical town of Maldon. The property offers a plethora of activities from bushwalks and discovering hidden gold mines to local towns boasting fairs, festivals and local produce. The friendly wildlife and remote setting will guarantee a relaxing getaway and to get a taste of the area, visitors can easily follow the Maldon Taste of Gold food and wine trail, sampling the area’s best local wines and produce from farm gates and cellar doors. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house6.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> About Tiny Away Founded in 2018, the Tiny Away network includes a range of comfy eco-friendly ‘tiny houses’ for travellers seeking alternative and unique accommodation experiences. Tiny Away offers adventurous road-trippers and weekenders the chance to immerse themselves in Australia’s vast flora and fauna, without compromising on comfort. A step up from glamping, each tiny house offers hot showers, air conditioning, a cosy queen bed, and a kitchenette. Using a profit-sharing arrangement that sees landowners earning up to 45% of rental revenue, Tiny Away considers itself a partner with landowner hosts on a mission to create rare and exceptional accommodation experiences. The sustainably built tiny houses are typically positioned on a working farm, often totally offgrid, and hosts offer all sorts of unique activities that give guests a taste of rural life. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/image001.png" alt="" width="250" height="137" /> Images: Supplied

Domestic Travel

‘You can’t stop it’: in rural Australia, digital coercive control can be inescapable

Domestic and family violence perpetrators commonly use technology such as phones and other devices as a weapon to control and entrap victims and survivors, alongside other forms of abuse. This “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/bjc/article/59/3/530/5172990?login=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital coercive control</a>” is not bound to a particular location and can follow targets anywhere, any time they access devices or digital media.For women outside urban Australia, technology-enabled abuse can pose more risk than for those in cities. In research funded by the <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Institute of Criminology</a>, we spoke to <a href="https://doi.org/10.52922/ti78405" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 such women who have been subjected to digital coercive control</a> to understand what it is like.The disturbing side of technology<blockquote>… you see a side of a phone that you probably wish you didn’t know about [Shelly]</blockquote>The women reported that abusers used technology to harass and stalk. The majority experienced image-based sexual abuse (the creation and/or release of intimate images without consent) or recordings made of victims or survivors, overtly or covertly.Some experienced doxxing (release of personal and identifiable information). Perpetrators in some cases impersonated real or fake people and initiated contact with women or their children. Authorised functions of phones and other devices and accounts were sometimes impaired, or unauthorised functions enabled.<blockquote>I think you can feel a lot safer knowing they are not in proximity; they can’t hurt me. When it comes to technology it can – I guess you’re more hyper-vigilant because they can come any time and you can’t stop it. Even if you block someone, they find another way. They do; he always found other means to make contact with me. I never – I guess you never got to escape, which I hadn’t experienced before, because every other type of abuse I was able to – it ended at some point. [Kira]</blockquote>It is different outside the citiesThese behaviours have also been observed in <a href="https://accan.org.au/Domestic%20Violence%20and%20Communication%20Technology%20final%20report%2020190801.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urban settings in Australia</a>. Also, like in cities, we found that violence persisted (and often increased) after separation.However, women outside cities face higher barriers when seeking help and responding to family violence, and they can also be at greater risk.Domestic violence agencies are further from women’s homes in non-urban areas, as we have observed in this study and in <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/104420/13/Landscapes%2Bof%2BViolence%2BCW%2Bedit%2BFINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other work</a>. Legal services can be limited and there are shortages in alternative and crisis accommodation.Complicated financial arrangements and pressures may hinder women’s ability to exit violent relationships, such as where they work on farms or other small businesses and there may be few employment and educational opportunities in the region.No anonymityNumerous survivors spoke of the lack of anonymity in rural areas, so they and/or their abusers were more likely to be known when disclosing and reporting violence. This can be confronting, especially when perpetrators are well-known and well liked.<blockquote>He is established - he knows people and he’s well liked … he’s in a boys’ club and knows lots of people … whereas I don’t. [Fiona]</blockquote>This could be heightened for women with family and networks out of the region or overseas, culturally and linguistically diverse women, criminalised women, or those viewed as “different” outsiders.As well as actively destroying women’s social networks, abusers would challenge women’s accounts of abuse and attempt to gather allies, as Claire explains:<blockquote>He went around the streets telling people that I’m crazy … Because we’re in a small country town he was going in and out of shops … He affiliated himself with one of the local churches and got them on his side.</blockquote>Isolation and fearAbusers socially isolate women, and those in non-urban areas are often socially further from family, friends and support services than those urban areas. We found too, that some abusers sought to extend geographic isolation, by moving women to more remote locations.Technology could provide channels to communicate with others and to seek assistance and support. Natalie had “a good amount of friends” and so would be “on the phone, or I’d be texting, and that was my outlet for a crazy situation”. However, some women felt this was not always possible when devices had been taken over or were monitored by abusers.<blockquote>[I was] too scared to use it [technology]. I just couldn’t reach out to people … I didn’t want to use it just in case [Lola]</blockquote>Fear loomed large in women’s accounts of digital coercive control. All those we spoke to had contact with police.Some had positive encounters, most commonly with specialist (domestic and family violence liaison officers, who are less available in many rural areas) but more spoke of negative encounters. Women who were dissatisfied with police felt that officers were dismissive of digital coercive control.‘Homicide flags’We believe digital coercive control warrants attention. Coercive control, obsessive tendencies, stalking, and threats to kill or self-harm have all been noted as signals of fatal violence by <a href="https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/586182/domestic-and-family-violence-death-review-and-advisory-board-annual-report-2017-18.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death review teams</a>.The women we interviewed reported all these behaviours. Non-fatal strangulation is another “homicide flag” and was reported by 46% of our participants.Firearm ownership and threats to use firearms also signal high risk. Firearm ownership is common on farms and in many rural areas.An assault can become a homicide in rural areas, because of the sheer distance between the site of an attack and a hospital or medic.It is imperative that we acknowledge and address how technology is used against survivors and the impact that technology-facilitated abuse has on women across landscapes. We must also recognise that women in rural locations face elevated risks, and that digital coercive control can provide evidence and signal risk of fatal violence.<hr />Pseudonyms have been used for the women quoted in this article.The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line – <a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1800 RESPECT</a> (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.<img style="border: none !important;margin: 0 !important;max-height: 1px !important;max-width: 1px !important;min-height: 1px !important;min-width: 1px !important;padding: 0 !important" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176980/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bridget-harris-547362" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bridget Harris</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/delanie-woodlock-1287646" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Delanie Woodlock</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/you-cant-stop-it-in-rural-australia-digital-coercive-control-can-be-inescapable-176980" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.Image: Getty Images

Technology

Local news sources are closing across Australia

The Yarram Standard and Great Southern Star, both of which have covered South Gippsland for well over a century, <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2020/05/25/regional-newspaper-describes-pain-closure/">won’t be returning</a> from their coronavirus-enforced suspensions. The two papers are the latest in a growing number of news outlets to close their doors. The economic fallout associated with the virus has been described as an “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/apr/09/coronavirus-us-newspapers-impact">extinction event</a>” for the media – and news outlets in suburban, regional and rural areas are being particularly hard hit. These challenges have renewed interest in the phenomenon of “news deserts”: towns, communities and local government areas where the supply of news appears to have been reduced to nothing. In June 2019, <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Digital%20platforms%20inquiry%20-%20final%20report.pdf">the ACCC estimated</a> there were 21 news deserts around Australia, 16 of them in rural and regional areas. This number has almost certainly grown in the period since. The loss of local news is a concern. Local papers fill a special role in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.5172/rsj.2012.21.2.126">building community spirit and social cohesion</a> in a way that metropolitan papers do not. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1329878x16648390">Research shows</a> that civic leaders believe local media does a better job of reflecting the needs of communities than state or national media. The closure of local newspapers has also been <a href="https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/public-finance-local-news.php">linked to higher borrowing costs and financial waste in local government</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08997764.2013.785553">decreasing voter turnout and higher incumbency rates for elected officials</a>. The Australian Newsroom Mapping Project As a researcher at the Public Interest Journalism Initiative, I have been tracking changes in news production and availability for the <a href="https://piji.com.au/research/the-australian-newsroom-mapping-project/">Australian Newsroom Mapping Project</a>. Our approach is simple: we are displaying what has changed in news production and availability in Australia since January 2019. The changes we are capturing include <ul> <li>the entire closure of a masthead or withdrawal from broadcast license areas</li> <li>the closure of a specific newsroom</li> <li>changes to publication or broadcast frequency</li> <li>the end of print editions.</li> </ul> We have logged over 200 contractions since the end of March alone, clear evidence of the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/another-savage-blow-to-regional-media-spells-disaster-for-the-communities-they-serve-139559">swift and savage force</a>” with which COVID-19 has affected news. Two types of change stand out: a greatly accelerated shift to digital-only publishing and the closures of newsrooms, particularly in regional New South Wales. Between them, these two types of change represent about two-thirds of all entries in our data. Australian Community Media, publisher of about 160 newspapers in regional and rural areas, has closed most of its non-daily papers <a href="https://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/6722552/updated-hunter-newspapers-shuttered-due-to-coronavirus-downturn/?cs=17267">until the end of June</a>. How many of them reopen next month is a big question: many of the changes in our data that were first described as temporary have become permanent. News Corp’s <a href="https://www.newscorpaustralia.com/news-corp-australia-announces-portfolio-changes/">recent announcement</a> that dozens of community newspaper titles will be digital-only is the highest-profile example, but far from the only one. It’s not all gloomy news Though the map overwhelmingly indicates declining news availability, we are also gathering information about growth. In Murray Bridge, South Australia, for example, a journalist furloughed from the Standard continued local coverage <a href="https://murraybridgenews.substack.com/">through his own initiative</a>. In <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-22/wimmera-mallee-news-to-launch-horsham-times/12273328">Horsham</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-24/rival-publisher-fills-void-after-acm-newspaper-closure-in-ararat/12178372">Ararat</a>, Victoria, rival publishers from nearby areas stepped in to fill the coverage gap with new papers. And in the year prior to COVID-19, News Corp opened a dozen new digital community sites, including in regional centres like Wollongong and Newcastle. Some of the contractions logged on our map have also improved as communities rally around their local papers. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/torresnews/">Cape and Torres News</a> in northern Queensland, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/apr/16/coronavirus-closed-a-broken-hill-newspaper-but-the-community-fought-to-save-it">the Barrier Daily Truth</a> in Broken Hill, New South Wales, and <a href="https://bunyippress.com.au/">The Bunyip</a> in Gawler, South Australia, are just a few examples of papers that have been able to return due to public support. The challenge of news data maps Any research is only as good as its data, and it is an enormous challenge to build a complete database of all news production across Australia. Missing a single publication can be the difference between listing a region as a news desert and not. To be manageable, <a href="https://www.usnewsdeserts.com/">similar projects</a> focus on commercial newspapers at the expense of other media, recognising the role print still has as the primary source of original news. This approach can provide a misleading picture in places where radio, TV or digital news are dominant. There is also the question of where entries go on a map. We place geographic markers according to either the location of the newsroom or somewhere in the community that it primarily serves. That approach makes sense, but can misrepresent the scale of the problem. For instance, the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/win-shuts-down-five-newsrooms-as-regional-broadcasters-struggle-20190619-p51zdz.html">closure of the WIN TV newsroom</a> in Wagga Wagga, NSW, last June affected the entire Riverina, but is represented on our map as only a small red dot in the city. It is possible to overcome these problems, but to do so is enormously resource intensive. <a href="https://newsecosystems.org/njmap/">A new project</a> at Montclair University in the US, for example, is mapping local news in New Jersey, including variables such as coverage areas, population density and income. The researchers are analysing the content of each media outlet to determine if the towns it says it is covering are actually showing up in its stories. The scale of the work required to establish a reliable map just for New Jersey seems overwhelming, and it is hard to imagine how much money and time a research team would need to replicate it nationally. Feeling ‘in the dark’ when local newsrooms close Building other variables into our data, such as population density or journalism jobs statistics from the ABS, is an appealing idea that could bring more nuance to our project. The underlying data for our work is <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19dJYVMpE0ZdgnGsaQvbbI7jcWAhgCovK?usp=sharing">open to public scrutiny</a> and we have benefited enormously <a href="mailto:newsmap@piji.com.au">from submissions</a>, which help us gain better insight into local media across the country. Readers sometimes reach out to tell me about the importance of their local paper for community life. One reader of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DungogChronicle/">Dungog Chronicle</a> in Dungog, NSW, which closed in April, wrote: “its closure diminishes our strength as a community, our identity as a Shire, and our willingness to take part in local decision-making.” The newspaper was first published in 1888 and covered the city for more than 130 years. The reader told me: “There is less spring in our step without the Chronicle. It has been a faithful conduit for all local news for the 30+ years that I have been here, and I feel in the dark without it.” Written by Gary Dickson. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/local-news-sources-are-closing-across-australia-we-are-tracking-the-devastation-and-some-reasons-for-hope-139756">The Conversation.</a>

Retirement Life

Blackwater mystery: Tracing the cause of Australia's youngest COVID-19 death

A 30-year-old miner known as Nathan Turner is the youngest Australian to die from coronavirus. It was only discovered that he was suffering from the virus after he was discovered dead at his home. This is the first care recorded in Blackwater, 190km west of Rockhampton, and Queensland Health is trying to figure out how Turner was infected. Turner had not worked since November and hadn’t left Blackwater since February. An unidentified nurse from Rockhampton tested positive for the virus earlier this month after she broke government enforced lockdown to travel to the town. She reportedly told contact tracers that she had visited Blackwater to “see a sunset”, but Queensland health have suggested the two have not had contact. "The [nurse] travelled to Blackwater in the second week of May but did not interact with other individuals there," the spokesperson said. "Information provided to Queensland Health about the case identified today indicated the man had respiratory symptoms since the first week of May. "At this time, no evidence has been provided to Queensland Health that links the two cases, but we will continue to assess all information relevant to any case." State Health Minister Stephen Miles said Blackwater residents weren’t told of the nurse’s visit because it was deemed low risk. “To my knowledge, she drove there, watched the sunset, and drove back – didn’t leave her car," he told ABC radio on Thursday. He said authorities are now looking into whether there is a link between the cases. "It’s possible that there is some kind of connection there, or it could just be a coincidence," he said. "That’s what our investigators are working on. Those dates don’t really line up with when he got sick. It is a bit of a mystery and it could just be a coincidence.” However, Deputy CMO Paul Kelly said that it was worrying that someone from a remote area had fallen ill. “It shows that there is community transmission of some sort,” he told reporters on Tuesday afternoon. “We haven’t had many people in rural areas in any state and so at this point in the pandemic it is a concern. “I understand that he had been sick for some weeks and I guess he hadn’t assumed that it was COVID-19. It is another very strong reminder to all of us at this point that if anyone has any symptoms that are of a respiratory virus. “It might feel like a cold, it could be COVID and we really want to get that test done.” Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-27/coronavirus-testing-queensland-death-dies/12287058" target="_blank">ABC</a>

News

135 communities could be released from quarantine in Australia in the coming weeks

A leading immunologist has said coronavirus-free areas outside of major cities could soon be given the go ahead to re-open their communities and come out of lockdown. Rural areas in regional Australia with no coronavirus cases could have the possibility of returning to their normal lives if they remained COVID-19 free. Professor Ian Frazer told SBS it would be the “logical” decision to make but stresses lifting the lockdown is purely a “political decision” and not a scientist’s role. More than 135 rural and remote parts of the country remain largely unaffected by the pandemic currently plaguing major cities around the world. As of Friday, the 10th, 135 local government areas have recorded no COVID-19 cases in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. Prof Frazer explained that regions within states could be locked off from other parts of the state and then safely return to a more normal existence. “It would be logical if there were no cases in the rural Queensland community (to end the lockdown) and get on with being a community,” he said. “At the moment, Australia is in the middle of the balancing act. “It’s too early to stop restrictions on social interaction … just look at the northwestern Tasmania cluster. “That could very easily happen anywhere in Australia. “The other states were all in a downward trajectory and I think the trend will continue downward and governments will start having restrictions eased. “Cities will be more difficult because we want to move around. “If the new infection rate did get into single figures it would be highly unlikely there would be many community transmissions. “I think people will have to get used to the idea that relaxation will occur and some people will feel more sociable and others will continue to social distance. “The last of the restrictions to be lifted will be the first ones put in place: football matches and concerts, where contact tracing would be impossible. “The other places would be cruise ships and public transport.” Torrest Strait and Cape York communities in Queensland’s northern region is largely coronavirus-free and reports zero cases. “Queensland towns like Mt Isa in the northwest, St George in the southwest, and Barcaldine in the state’s central west are also reporting no COVID-19 cases,” a report read. Forbes, Gilgandra, Bourke, Junee, Leeton, Kyogle and Bourke are all NSW towns that are free of the virus. South Australian towns in the Flinders Range and Franklin Harbour have reported no cases and greater Adelaide holds 77 per cent of the state’s population.

Domestic Travel

Mass riots in rural town force hundreds to flee

A violent disturbance in the Queensland town of Aurukun has seen about 300 people fleeing, with the state government sending in disaster response experts. More than one-fifth of the town’s 1,400 population have evacuated to other communities throughout Cape York after the alleged murder of a 37-year-old man triggered violence and arson on New Year’s Day. Eight homes were torched, prompting many residents to flee to a makeshift camp about 80km from the town, <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/disaster-response-expert-sent-to-aurukun-20200129-p53vp7.html">AAP</a> reported. Others went to nearby communities including Coen, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Laura, Mapoon, Napranum and Pormpuraaw. 29 people have been arrested and charged with 120 offences related to the riots. Far North Queensland Senior Sergeant Duane Amos and officer Tracey Harding have been called in as response co-ordinators. The two are tasked with leading “a coordinated, case-management approach to addressing the current needs of displaced Aurukun residents”. Additional police have been deployed to Aurukun to maintain calm amid <a href="https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/aurukun-riots-duane-amos-and-tracey-harding-to-help-displaced-refugees/news-story/2bb361e16262db24e1b6de1679859ef6">threat of ongoing violence</a> as work continues to repair damaged properties in the city.

Travel Trouble

Slim and skinny: how access to TV is changing beauty ideals in rural Nicaragua

Think about the last time you watched a film or picked up a magazine. Chances are the majority of models and actresses were young, beautiful and slim – or even underweight. Research shows that in films and TV programmes heavier characters are more likely to be lower status, the target of jokes and are less likely to be <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/276547">lead or romantic characters</a>. This sends a very clear message: that thinness is normal and desirable. For many young people, this emphasis on extreme thinness in women seems normal. But it’s actually relatively new and seems to have arisen in parallel with the growing cultural dominance of mass media – films, television and magazines. Models, for instance, became <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.1980.47.2.483">thinner across the latter half of the 20th century</a>, and are now <a href="https://onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/evolution-miss-universe/">considerably slimmer</a> than depictions of female beauty in preceding eras. Just as in the past when the development of shape-altering garments <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0123284">changed ideas about body shape</a>, the mass media now seems to have changed ideas about body size. Current body ideals in Western Europe and North America are also significantly slimmer than in other cultural groups, such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513899000070">Tanzanian hunter-gatherers</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513806000584">black South Africans</a> or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1740144507000769">rural Malaysians</a>. And it’s been argued this large gap between the ideal female figure and most women’s own bodies is a key factor in the endemic levels of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in countries such as <a href="https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.1.9">the UK</a>. Body dissatisfaction and <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/yco/2016/00000029/00000006/art00006">rates of disordered eating are increasing globally</a>, and the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11013-004-1067-5">spread of mass media may be one reason why</a>. But it’s a challenge to link increasing media access with changing body ideals – because as populations gain more access to media, they also change in other ways. They may become more urbanised, wealthier and have better access to nutrition – all of which can lead to <a href="http://www.mysmu.edu/faculty/normanli/Swamietal2010.pdf">differences in body ideals</a>. The Nicaragua project This is why we have spent three years running a <a href="http://www.dur.ac.uk/l.g.boothroyd/NEBP/">research project</a> in an area of rural Nicaragua – where access to mass media is often unrelated to urbanisation or nutrition. The government in Nicaragua has been increasing electrification of the rural Caribbean coast. This has led to a region where very similar neighbouring villages differ in whether or not the residents have access to mains electricity – and whether they can run televisions. There are no magazines in this region. And at the time of our research, very few residents had access to smart phones, making television viewing a good measure of total media access. We recruited 300 participants from seven villages around the region. Some villages had regular electricity supplies, others did not. Because the region is very ethnically diverse, we also balanced our sample across four main ethnic groups. Generally among our participants, those of Mestizo ethnicity – who have the highest levels of European heritage – tend to prefer slimmer figures than those of more indigenous or Afro-Caribbean heritage, such as the Miskitu, Garifuna and Creoles. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000224">Our research found</a> that above and beyond ethnicity, those who watched more television preferred slimmer bodies. Specifically, our analysis suggested that people who watched approximately three hours of TV a week preferred a body one full point slimmer on the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/">Body Mass Index</a> than someone who didn’t watch TV. On a woman of average height, that’s about a difference of three kilos. We also found the more people watched TV, the slimmer their preferred female body size became. This was true for both men and women. Changing ideals Over the three years, we also collected data from a small village without electricity. For a short period of time, one house in this village had a small TV powered by a solar panel. Residents were also able to watch TV for short periods of time if they travelled to other communities. We found that over the three years, villagers tended to favour thinner figures when they had been able to watch more TV, suggesting that real-time change may be happening in these communities. When we showed residents of two villages without TV images of typical or plus size media models, their preferences shifted in the immediate aftermath of viewing these images towards thinner figures. Again this was true for both men and women. By studying one population in depth, and by also having previously ruled out evidence for <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-08653-z">impacts of nutrition in this population</a>, we have been able to give the strongest evidence to date that visual media really does change people’s perception of the ideal female body. Our findings also support the argument that increasing global rates of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders are driven at least in part <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11013-004-1067-5">by the expansion of globalised mass media</a>. Of course, television is in many respects a valuable and important source of information. Our participants considered that besides entertainment, television gave them a vital link to the rest of Nicaragua, to political news, and lifesaving services such as storm warnings. But while it’s important that such benefits be maximised, threats to women’s body image must be minimised. Body positive education can help here, and this is something <a href="http://community.dur.ac.uk/l.g.boothroyd/NEBP/wellcome_body.html">we are working on with local groups</a>. But ultimately, media producers and commissioners must do a better job of diversifying their content to reflect a range of sizes and body types. Written by Lynda Boothroyd. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/slim-and-skinny-how-access-to-tv-is-changing-beauty-ideals-in-rural-nicaragua-128717">The Conversation.</a>

Beauty & Style

A crisis of underinsurance threatens to scar rural Australia permanently

Australia is in the midst of a bushfire crisis that will affect local communities for years, if not permanently, due to a national crisis of underinsurance. Already more than 1,500 homes have been destroyed – with months still to go in the bushfire season. Compare this to 2009, when Victoria’s “Black Saturday” fires claimed more than 2,000 homes in February, or 1983, when the “Ash Wednesday” fires destroyed about 2,400 homes in Victoria and South Australia, also in February. The 2020 fire season could end up surpassing these tragedies, despite the lessons learned and improvements in preparedness. One lesson not really learned, though, is that home insurance is rarely sufficient to enable recovery. The evidence is many people losing their homes will find themselves unable to rebuild, due to lack of insurance. We know this from <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VF2QKHQM2J3JQ3YRXZQZ/full?target=10.1080%2F00049182.2019.1691436&">interviews with those affected</a> by the October 2013 Blue Mountains bushfires (in which almost <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-17/remembering-the-blue-mountains-bushfires-one-year-on/5819100">200 homes were destroyed</a>). Despite past disasters, more than <a href="https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/19722/Submission-Natural-Disaster-Funding-Arrangements-June-2014-final.pdf">65% of households affected</a> were underinsured. Research published by the Victorian government in 2017, meanwhile, estimated <a href="https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/promoting%20financial%20resilience%20to%20emergencies%20through%20home%20and%20contents%20insurance%20strategy.pdf">just 46% Victorian households</a> have enough insurance to recover from a disaster, with 28% underinsured and 26% having no insurance. The consequences aren’t just personal. They potentially harm local communities permanently, as those unable to rebuild move away. Communities lose the vital knowledge and social networks that make them resilient to disaster. Miscalculating rebuilding costs All too often the disaster of having your home and possessions razed by fire is followed by the disaster of realising by how much you are underinsured. As researchers into the impact of fires, we are interested why people find themselves underinsured. Our research, which includes <a href="https://insuranceresearchblog.wordpress.com/">interviewing</a> those who have have lost their homes, shows it is complicated, and not necessarily due to negligence. For example, a woman who lost her home in Kinglake, northeast of Melbourne, in the 2009 fires, told us how her insurance calculations turned out to bear no resemblance to the actual cost of rebuilding. “You think okay, this is what I paid for the property,” she said. “I think we had about $550,000 on the house, and the contents was maybe $120,000.” It was on these estimates that she and her partner took out insurance. She told us: <blockquote> You think sure, yeah, I can rebuild my life with that much money. But nowhere near. Not even close. We wound up with a $700,000 mortgage at the end of rebuilding. </blockquote> An extra mortgage A common issue is that people insure based on their home’s market value. But rebuilding is often more expensive. For one thing there’s the need to comply with new building codes, which have been improved to ensure buildings take into account their potential exposure to bushfire. This is likely to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VF2QKHQM2J3JQ3YRXZQZ/full?target=10.1080%2F00049182.2019.1691436&">increase costs by 20% or more</a>, but is rarely made clear to insurance customers. Construction costs also often spike following disasters, due to extra demand for building services and materials. A further contributing factor is that banks can claim insurance payments to pay off mortgages, meaning the only way to rebuild is by taking out another mortgage. “People who owned houses, any money that was owing, everything was taken back to the bank before they could do anything else,” said a former shop owner from Whittlesea, (about 30km west of Kinglake and also severely hit by the 2009 fires). This meant, once banks were paid, people had nothing left to restart. She told us: <blockquote> People came into the shop and cried on my shoulder, and I cried with them. I helped them all I could there. That’s probably why we lost the business, because how can you ask people to pay when they’ve got nothing? </blockquote> Undermining social cohesion In rural areas there is often a shortage of rental properties. Insurance companies generally only cover rent for 12 months, which is not enough time to rebuild. For families forced to relocate, moving back can feel disruptive to their recovery. Underinsurance significantly increases the chances those who lose their homes will move away and never return – hampering social recovery and resilience. Residents that cannot afford to rebuild will sell their property, with “tree changers” the most likely buyers. Communities not only lose residents with local knowledge and important skills but also social cohesion. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959378013001684">Research in both Australia and the United States</a> suggested this can leave those communities less prepared for future disasters. This is because a sense of community is vital to individuals’ willingness and ability to prepare for and act in a threat situation. A confidence that others will weigh in to help in turn increases people’s confidence and ability to prepare and act. In Whittlesea, for example, residents reported a change in their sense of community cohesion after the Black Saturday fires. “The newer people coming in,” one interviewee told us, “aren’t invested like the older people are in the community.” Australia is one of the few wealthy countries that heavily relies on insurance markets for recovery from disasters. But the evidence suggests this is an increasingly fraught strategy, particularly when rural communities also have to cope with the reality of more intense and frequent extreme weather events. If communities are to recover from bushfires, the nation cannot put its trust in individual insurance policies. What’s required is national policy reform to ensure effective disaster preparedness and recovery for all.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129343/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chloe-lucas-132984">Chloe Lucas</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Geography and Spatial Sciences, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-eriksen-106365">Christine Eriksen</a>, Senior Lecturer in Geography and Sustainable Communities, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-bowman-4397">David Bowman</a>, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-crisis-of-underinsurance-threatens-to-scar-rural-australia-permanently-129343">original article</a>.

Retirement Income

Dramatic new footage shows Tony Abbott saving homes from NSW bushfires

Dramatic new footage has emerged of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott running into a burning house to save homes on the NSW south coast. Abbott, who volunteers with the Ingleside Rural Fire Service on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, was filmed joining his colleagues as they tried to stop the flames from reaching neighbouring properties. A post on Ingleside brigade’s Facebook page explained that Abbott and his fellow firefighters were coping with temperatures over 45C. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FInglesideRuralFireBrigade%2Fvideos%2F2478703472392044%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> “Tony used BA (breathing apparatus) on four occasions on Saturday including at two structure fires,” the post said. “Great to see Tony working hard as he always does when he volunteers with the RFS.” “Our Ingleside Strike Team Leader and his team, including our former Prime Minister Tony Abbott were first into the street. “A number of fire trucks were deployed into the street. Sheds and caravans were lost, but all houses were saved. Temperatures were 45C (113F) with 45km/h hot winds. “All up, northern beaches put in nine tankers to Bendalong and Manyana working with local RFS and (Fire and Rescue) strike teams,” the post said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B20m78OgC9Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B20m78OgC9Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">With Matt and Dane on Davidson 7, plus the rest of the Fire and Rescue and RFS team on the Long Gully Fire.</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/hontonyabbott/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Tony Abbott</a> (@hontonyabbott) on Sep 24, 2019 at 10:12pm PDT </div> </blockquote> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Abbott has been on the front line of the fires for several weeks now. The current Prime Minister Scott Morrison continues to face harsh criticism over his lack of response to the bushfires, as it was discovered that he took a holiday to Hawaii as the country burned last month. OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to <a href="https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw">the website</a> to donate. </div> </div> </div>

News

Johanna Griggs shares terrifying video of bushfires raging near her home

Better Homes & Gardens host Johanna Griggs has shared a shocking video of bushfires raging near her home in Wollombi, NSW. Wollombi is in the Hunter Valley of NSW and has been impacted greatly by bushfires. According to the NSW Rural Fire Service, there are currently 110 fires burning across the state with 59 not being contained. Griggs shared the video on her Instagram, saying that it has been a “wild few weeks” for her and her family. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6FGuOZg4BM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6FGuOZg4BM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">For everyone who has been sending messages checking in on us, thank you; We are great. It’s been a wild few weeks. With fire fronts in 3 directions we prepped for the worst, but thankfully are the lucky ones this time around. The first video was from last Tuesday which was definitely the worst day up here for us. The rest of the time it’s been stinking hot and smoky as. Whilst conditions still aren’t great we feel more confident that we’ll be ok. Thanks to everyone who understood why we cancelled all our catch ups and stayed put ‘Just In Case’. We used our time well - with new firebreaks the whole way round the house paddock, 2 fire trailers ready, 6 watering stations (Huge thanks to @harry.ledwidge and #guyledwidge for dropping everything, flying in and helping us for 10 days! What Legends... and to @bradmarsland69 and @hoban_david who joined in the prep regularly in between work shifts. Thank you!!!) My OC tendencies had a ball working my way down my cleaning list! (I still have plenty to go) The veggie garden has produced and provided non stop. (Not included in the pics are the cabbages, carrots, broad beans, herbs and spinach - Also growing really well are eggplants, capsicum, chillis, bok Choy, pumpkins and sweet potatoes) Our bees haven’t fled the smoke, and have produced in abundance. We are so grateful to the @nswrfs and other emergency services for everything they have done, and continue to do. And we’re so sorry for everyone who has had a horrible time during this period. Our hearts break for you and for all the wildlife lost in these horrible fires. It’ll be a long hot summer for sure for all. We hope everyone stays safe...:) #hugginshill #growyourown #biofilta_urbanfarms #flowhive #hhvfs</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/johgriggs7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Johanna Griggs</a> (@johgriggs7) on Dec 14, 2019 at 8:32pm PST </div> </blockquote> “With fire fronts in 3 directions we prepped for the worst, but thankfully are the lucky ones this time around,” she wrote. “The first video was from last Tuesday which was definitely the worst day up here for us. The rest of the time it’s been stinking hot and smoky as.” With a heatwave casted for this week, fans were anxious about her house being okay, but Griggs is confident that they’ll be fine. “Thanks to everyone who understood why we cancelled all our catch ups and stayed put ‘Just In Case’,” she said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5uPapQg09T/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5uPapQg09T/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Watching, Waiting. Totally Prepped and Calm. Thinking of all the @nswrfs personnel and what an amazing job they are doing in incredibly tough conditions. And thinking of everyone in Wollombi.... (That’s where the glow and smoke is coming from). Must be terrifying. Hoping everyone is safe...x #hugginshill</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/johgriggs7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Johanna Griggs</a> (@johgriggs7) on Dec 5, 2019 at 11:25pm PST </div> </blockquote> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Griggs also thanked the NSW RFS for their hard work, with over 2,200 personnel fighting the blazes across the state. “We are so grateful to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nswrfs/" target="_blank">@nswrfs</a> and other emergency services for everything they have done, and continue to do. And we’re so sorry for everyone who has had a horrible time during this period. Our hearts break for you and for all the wildlife lost in these horrible fires. It’ll be a long hot summer for sure for all. We hope everyone stays safe.” </div> </div> </div>

Domestic Travel

Former fire chief declines to criticise ScoMo’s holiday as the country burns

A former fire chief has declined to comment on Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s decision to go on holidays while the country struggles to deal with bushfires across the country. Greg Mullins, the former commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW, made his feelings known in a press conference. “Look, everybody needs a holiday. I’m not going to comment on what the Prime Minister’s doing, and frankly at the moment, the federal government’s not doing much in this space anyway. So I don’t think it really matters,” Mullins explained. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg confirmed on Channel 9’s Today show that Morrison was “overseas with his family”. “He’s having a well deserved break, and obviously it’s been a very busy year. He’ll be back at work shortly, and then he’ll be off to India, leading a delegation to advance Australia’s interests.” While some have supported the PM’s decision to relax with his family, others are furious as many are struggling to breathe due to the intense smog surrounding Sydney. Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge said that Morrison was “in denial”. “When the country you lead is on fire you have an obligation to stick around and sort it out. Or at least put the right policies in place before you clock off. But this guy’s just in denial ... on holiday ... in denial,” he wrote in a <a href="https://twitter.com/ShoebridgeMLC/status/1206682973761753089">tweet</a>. However, Mullins wants to focus on the issue at hand as a group of his fellow former fire chiefs have announced plans to hold an emergency summit when the bushfire season is over. “People are becoming very angry and they want to have a say,” Mr Mullins told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/former-fire-chief-declines-to-criticise-scott-morrison-for-going-on-holiday-as-bushfires-burn/news-story/556d74de351e7cf6052badd29a98670e" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “They are being told that now is not the time to talk about climate change, but I have dealt with hundreds of people who have suffered losses and I know they want to know why. It’s part of the healing process.” Mullins acknowledged that Australia’s fire services were well resourced, but the impacts of climate change were making the problem nearly impossible to deal with. “There will always be people thinking that more (resources are) needed. Wondering what could be done. Well frankly, it’s too late. We’ve got what we have. They’re very well resourced,” he said. “It’s not enough because of climate change. Climate change is driving this problem to a place where you simply can’t deal with it. “So what we need to do is get people together. It should have been a national government doing this, but they’re not stepping up to the mark, so we will.”

Domestic Travel

Discover the delights of rural Queensland

WYZA® reader Phil Hawkes shares his experience of exploring outback Queensland - from Quilpie to Eromanga. "There’s nothing to do in Quilpie!" That’s what several friends who have been outback all the way to <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.queensland.com/en-us/destination%20information/birdsville" target="_blank">Birdsville</a> and beyond, said when I told them my plans for a road trip from Brisbane. “It’s a boring highway getting to <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.queensland.com/en-us/destination%20information/quilpie" target="_blank">Quilpie</a> and there’s nothing exciting happening except for the counter teas at the old Imperial Hotel,” they added. That seemed to be the sum of their own experience, not too promising. Nevertheless we decided to give it a go and the result was anything but dull. If you throw nearby Eromanga and then Windorah into the mix, there’s so much to see and do in that area that we’d willingly go back again. First, Quilpie, which locals describes as “Simply Unique”. That may be a stretch but this small town in the Channel Country has a definite friendly vibe and all the essential services for the traveller. There’s even a couple of coffee shops with good coffee, which is a pleasant surprise if you’ve been drinking only Nescafe in your caravan! Quilpie is famous for its boulder opal mining industry and there’s a beautiful altar at St. Finbarr’s Church made from a collage of boulder opals. You can also go fossicking and maybe get lucky. It’s a fun thing to do and a good reason to stay around for a few days. <img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341363/opal-alta-at-st-finbarrs-quilpie_500x333.jpg" alt="Opal -Alta -at -St -Finbarrs -Quilpie" width="500" height="333" /> The altar at St Finbarrs is covered with stunning opals The Heritage Hotel in the main street is being painstakingly restored by owner Troy Minnett who also runs the nearby caravan park. The hotel rooms are comfortable with aircon, flat TV and a decent shower, and there’s a convivial bar as well as a wide verandah overlooking the street. Troy can also book you on an Eromanga Tour to see the dinosaur fossils, or on one of two mail runs to see the “real outback”. Highly recommended. <img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341319/phil-hawkes-blady-top-wyza-com-au_500x333.jpg" alt="Phil -hawkes -blady -top -wyza -com -au" width="500" height="333" /> Phil Hawkes hit the road to explore something different from the typical Queensland landscape <a rel="noopener" href="http://flyingarts.org.au/gallery-location/quilpie-museum-gallery-visitor-information-centre/" target="_blank">The Quilpie Visitor Information Centre, Gallery and Museum</a> has daily town tours which take you to Baldy Top lookout and Lake Houdraman with its abundant bird life. Upcoming events include the Polocrosse Carnival 25-26 June; the Quilpie Fringe Festival 1-2 July; and the Quilpie Show and Rodeo on 10 September. Troy says that visitors often stop in Quilpie for a night or two and then stay for a week. There is plenty to do! Next, <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.australianexplorer.com/eromanga.htm" target="_blank">Eromanga</a>. It’s just 108 kms from Quilpie and has suddenly become famous because of an extraordinary find. . . dinosaur fossils from 95-98 million years ago. These include the bones of the biggest dinosaur yet discovered in Australia, a Titanosaur named Cooper after his final resting place in the Cooper Basin. <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341320/phil-hawkes-royal-hotel-wyza-com-au_500x333.jpg" alt="Phil -hawkes -royal -hotel -wyza -com -au" width="500" height="333" /> The Royal Hotel in Eromanga holds a rustic charm To add to the prehistoric mystery, at nearby Eulo there have been discoveries of megasaurs, large creatures such as Kenny the Diprotodon. These are all displayed in a brand new building, the Eromanga Natural History Museum which is an absolute must if you’re out that way. Robyn Mackenzie, whose son made the first dinosaur discovery, is extremely knowledgeable and together with her passionate staff will enthral you with a guided tour. In Eromanga there’s also the fascinating Natural History Centre and also the Royal Hotel for a counter lunch with the chance to meet colourful locals such as “Giggles” who is an opal miner and a great storyteller. Eromanga is a real outback gem. <img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341321/phil-hawkes-giggles-wyza-com-au_500x333.jpg" alt="Phil -hawkes -giggles -wyza -com -au" width="500" height="333" /> 'Giggles' is an opal miner and one of the friendly locals in Eromanga Last stop on the mostly unsealed road to Birdsville is <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.queensland.com/en-us/destination%20information/windorah" target="_blank">Windorah</a> another friendly, meet-the-locals kind of place. The Western Star Hotel is the social hub of the district and you’re welcome to introduce yourself to locals such as station owners and workers, a teacher, the local cop, an Indigenous elder and various blow-ins over lunch or if you’re lucky, an evening BBQ with excellent food. The Western Star has comfortable motel-style rooms and a camping area, and has won the “Best Outback Hotel” award for the last two years. Managers Marilyn and Ian Simpson exemplify true outback hospitality. Maureen and Helen at the Visitor Information Centre can arrange for local tours around Cooper’s Creek and the red sandhills, or get Jeff to take you out yabbying. And the Outback Store opposite the pub sells the best home-made relishes and preserves you’ll find anywhere. We tried Kim’s tomato relish and it’s almost worth a trip back to Windorah to get some more. Seeing this beautiful part of the country has given us a taste of the real outback and we’re already thinking about the next trip, and the characters we’ll meet - including Cooper and Kenny. Written by Phil Hawkes. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/travel/discover-the-delights-of-rural-queensland.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Domestic Travel

People living in rural areas may be at lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease

People who live in regional or remote areas may be at lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30265942">recent research</a>. Using data from more 260,000 adults in New South Wales who were aged 45 and over, we found those living in regional or remote areas of the state had a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30265942">6% to 19% lower risk</a> of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease over 11 years, compared with their city counterparts. We identified diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease using the first prescription of a group of medications collectively referred to as <a href="https://www.dementia.org.au/files/helpsheets/Helpsheet-DementiaQandA01-CholinesteraseInhibitors_english.pdf">cholinesterase inhibitors</a> and <a href="https://www.dementia.org.au/files/helpsheets/Helpsheet-DementiaQandA03-Memantine_english.pdf">memantine</a>. These are prescribed after someone gains a <a href="https://www.ihpa.gov.au/what-we-do/standardised-mini-mental-state-examination-smmse">mini-mental state examination</a> score consistent with Alzheimer’s disease, which is then confirmed by a specialist. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22798662">Some previous research</a> suggests people living in rural areas may be at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. But our results tell a different story. The role of air pollution Research has long told us that <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2013/10/453222-outdoor-air-pollution-leading-cause-cancer-say-un-health-experts">air pollution is bad for our health</a>. Emerging research suggests air pollution could also <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad180631">play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease</a>. The problem isn’t just the stuff in the air you can see. The tiny particles you can’t see are the most harmful. Once you <a href="http://www.npi.gov.au/resource/particulate-matter-pm10-and-pm25">breathe them in</a>, they can enter the bloodstream and travel to <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/01/brain-pollution-evidence-builds-dirty-air-causes-alzheimer-s-dementia">every major organ, including the brain</a>. People living in Australia’s largest cities are generally exposed to <a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/auscon/pages/10279/attachments/original/1542774981/ACF_Pollution_Report_Nov2018_updated_web.pdf?1542774981">higher levels of air pollution</a>, which could help to partly explain why we found a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease it city dwellers. But it’s unlikely to be the only factor. What’s happening in the brain? Let’s consider the pathway by which many scientists think Alzheimer’s disease may develop, and then work backwards. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27050320">Many scientists</a>, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nn.4017">though not all</a>, suggest Alzheimer’s disease coincides with – and may be caused by – an abnormal build-up of a particular type of protein, called amyloid beta peptide, in the brain. Accumulating large amounts of amyloid beta peptide may create plaques that cause inflammation, destroy synapses, kill neurons and result in the death of brain cells consistent with Alzheimer’s disease. If this hypothesis is correct, we’re looking for ways to reduce the abnormal accumulation of amyloid beta. Admittedly that is a big “if”, given largely disappointing outcomes of drug trials focused on clearing amyloid beta <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ana.25410">so far</a>. Research on mice suggests <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/342/6156/373">sleep may be able to help</a> clear amyloid beta. Studies in humans also suggest that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579405/">regular physical activity</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156816371500046X">social interactions</a> may help to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, potentially via amyloid beta reduction. These things might be harder in cities It’s not always easy to get a good night’s sleep. Studies suggest <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40471-018-0139-y">environmental factors</a> that co-occur within urban areas, such as chronic noise, air quality and heat may influence how much sleep you get and whether you feel sufficiently refreshed when you wake up. Urban planning can <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)01284-2/fulltext">influence participation</a> in physical activity. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2018/apr/10/sydney-urban-sprawl-suburbs-pictures-photography-andrew-merry">Car-centred urban sprawl</a>, for example, remains a major barrier in getting people walking and moving in many Australian cities. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.relationships.org.au/what-we-do/research/an-epidemic-of-loneliness-2001-2017/at_download/file">men and women over 65 living in Australia’s major cities</a>were more likely than their regional peers to report a lack of social support. All of these factors, including air pollution, may contribute some explanation to the results of our study. But it’s important to note that accessibility to health care may play a role. People in regional and remote NSW generally have to travel longer distances and have less choice than those based in cities. This may lead to lag times in the detection of Alzheimer’s disease, which would affect our results. Connect with nature, wherever you are Living nearby more green space has been associated with better cognition among adults living in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935116310581">Spain</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795361730655X">Scotland</a> and <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/abs/10.1289/ehp2875">England</a>. These studies are backed up by <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=27199417">decades of experimental studies</a> that show contact with nature can provide <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494402001093">stress relief and lower blood pressure</a>. Public green spaces have the added benefit of providing spaces for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494412000461">outdoor social and physical recreation</a> and may also help to <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/8/e003094">improve our sleep</a>. Green space tends to be more abundant in regional and remote areas compared with major cities, which may help to explain why we found an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease in major cities. But no matter whether you live in the country or city, try to make use of whatever green spaces you have around you. Relax in the garden or make regular visits to local parks – your older self will thank you for it. Written by Thomas Astell-Burt and Xiaoqi Feng. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-living-in-rural-areas-may-be-at-lower-risk-of-alzheimers-disease-112417">The Conversation</a>.

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