Lachie Winnall

A fire in Berri has seen significant damage caused to a property on Shiraz Street. Just prior to midnight Thursday, MFS crews were called to the property following multiple reports of fire and smoke. Four occupants of the house were able to evacuate prior to fire crews arriving, with firefighters taking around 20 minutes to control the blaze. Article continues after this ad In total 18 firefighters from both the MFS and CFS were on scene for around two hours, with the cause still to be determined.

Following local trials dating back to 2017, further state government funding has been allocated to research the potential of industrial hemp. $500,000 will help new trails to identify hemp varieties with low water requirements, potentially enabling it to be more widely grown in South Australia, including the Riverland. Industrial hemp varies from medicinal and illicit cannabis due to its low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels.

A report following Murray Darling Plan review consultation has revealed a number of key themes. The 12 week process saw almost 2500 submissions made and forms part of the 2026 Basin Plan Review. MDBA Chief Executive, Andrew McConville said people have plenty of different views about how water should be managed, but there was a clear message underneath it all: the Basin Plan matters, and people want it to work better.