Why are we stuck in the slow lane when it comes to making money from the Mount? | Rural Notebook

Our regional council should be in the box seat to make many millions from the actual race and all of the activities that are associated with it.

Mount Panorama is renowned as one of the very best motor racetracks on the planet and is a huge asset to our city.

Surely Bathurst Council should profit by many millions from the Great Race. Why doesn't it?

VISITORS to Bathurst will notice the rapidly drying appearance of the surrounding countryside that has come through an unusually dry spring.

The crash in red meat values at saleyards and meatworks hasn't reached the shops as yet, but is at a really serious state for lots of family farms.

Saleyards are returning a negative result for lines of lambs, sheep and cattle; after a sale at almost giveaway prices, the producer is often incurring an account for yard dues and cartage (an average bill of about $1000).

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

LOOKING back at rural market crashes, we think of the fall of the wool reserve price scheme when the Wool Board set its reserve price about 25 per cent above market value, accumulated a stockpile of above four million bales, and saw sales of raw wool sink overnight to levels that caused many producers, buyers and processors to lose their assets overnight.

The result of this crash was the largest financial loss in our nation's history: more dollars than the massive losses that were incurred by HIH Insurance, its clients and shareholders.

THE severe crash in cattle markets in the early 1970s was really serious for several years and put a dent in many business plans, but breeders who kept up their standards were soon back in business as the quality of their sale stock was obvious.

To me, this means that the producers who buy the best bulls or rams that they can afford will be rewarded.

There will be top quality at affordable prices at each of the sale venues that are mentioned in diary dates further on.

LOTS of producers are caught up in the crash of cattle, lambs and sheep which occurred so suddenly.

Farmers in Yass tell of $100 for the very best lambs last week, lamb averages of little more than $30 and seconds below $10.

In the cattle pens, we see good trade steers around $700 and vealers of the wrong breed at $200 to $250.

Some thoughts for tough times:

CARBON Farming 101 will hold an introductory workshop at the Trunkey Creek Hall, 36 Arthur Street on Friday, October 13 from 10am to 1pm.

Farmers who are showing an interest in carbon farming can contact Bathurst Merino Association secretary Kirby on 0401 402 351 and she will take your booking.

MANY happy returns to Clive Coles, who is celebrating his 90th birthday with family and friends in Bathurst.

Clive is very well known by country people for his years of service at rural supply outlets in town in the days before forklifts, when grain, fertiliser and small bales of hay were handled with big hearts, strong backs and willing hands.

We haven't forgotten you, Clive. Well done and thank you.

A BIG welcome to Lachlan William Meyers, who is a brand new brother for Addie and a handsome son for Jacqueline Banning and Spud Meyers.

The young bloke should be truck-driving shortly.

Congratulations to a great little family.

Lachlan already has more hair than 14 Seaman men put together.

THE 80-year-old farmer was in a lift with the hospital porter, who was wheeling an elaborate machine.

"Gawd, I'd hate to be hooked up to that," our man said.

"So would I, old mate," the porter replied, "it's a carpet shampooer."

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MUM bought a lop-eared white rabbit for her two young boys, who promised they would love and look after it.

After taking care of it for months, she complained: "How many times would this bloody rabbit have died if I hadn't looked after it?"

"Once," four-year-old son said softly.