136-579: Coolac is a village in the Riverina region of New South Wales , Australia in Gundagai Council . At the 2021 census , Coolac had a population of 244. The name Coolac is derived from the local Aboriginal name for a plant which was abundant in the area and also from the Aboriginal word meaning "native bear". Coolac Post Office opened on 1 June 1870. The 11 kilometre section of
272-597: A battalion -sized Australian Army battle group (initially designated the Al Muthanna Task Group , and later Overwatch Battle Group (West) ) was stationed in southern Iraq. In addition, teams of ADF personnel were deployed to train Iraqi military units. In line with a 2007 election commitment, the Rudd government withdrew combat-related forces from Iraq in mid-2008, and most of the remaining Australian units left
408-756: A break-of-gauge in 1883, and the Melbourne-Shepparton line was extended to Tocumwal in 1908. The number of cross border railways expanded with the passing of the 1922 Border Railways Act , with the Benalla – Yarrawonga branch line extended to Oaklands in 1938, both lines meeting standard gauge lines that were subsequently closed. Victorian Railways commenced construction of a railway from Robinvale to Koorakee and Lette in New South Wales in 1924 (the Lette railway line ), but this railway
544-609: A branch line was completed from Junee to Narrandera in 1881 and extended to Hay by 1882. Another branch pushed south from Narrandera toward the Victorian border reaching Jerilderie in 1884 and the Murray at Tocumwal in 1898. Transport links assisted the development of the Riverina economy, at the same time areas of the region found themselves under threat from robbery and murder by various bushrangers . Between 1862 and 1865,
680-535: A contribution to maintaining the rules-based order globally. There is also a risk that climate change , weak economic growth and social factors could cause instability in South Pacific countries. The ADF has developed strategies to respond to Australia's changing strategic environment. The 2016 Defence White Paper states that "the Government will ensure Australia maintains a regionally superior ADF with
816-524: A decline in the diversity of native flora and fauna in the area. Aboriginal people are thought to have inhabited the Riverina for at least 40,000 years. The Wiradjuri people were the original inhabitants of much of south western New South Wales including much of the Riverina region along the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan rivers. Other groups living along the Murrumbidgee included the Nari-Nari on
952-804: A diverse range of backgrounds and nationalities. In particular, the Italian community prospered in the Area, owning nearly half of all the farms around Griffith by 1954. Later, further irrigation was developed for areas in the Murray valley starting with the Wakool Irrigation District in 1932, then the Deniboota and Denimein Irrigation Districts in 1938, the Berriquin Irrigation District in 1939 and
1088-675: A flurry of snow was reported in Hay , which at just 90 metres (300 ft) above sea level would make it the lowest altitude that snow has ever been observed to in New South Wales. In Narrandera it last snowed in June 1908, July 1901 and August 1899. The most recent occurrence of snow in the Riverina proper was at Junee in August 2019 – excluding the mountainous parts of the South West Slopes . One method of classification of boundaries for
1224-519: A focus on responding to China's rapidly growing influence. It included commitments to expand the RAN, including acquiring twelve submarines, and increasing defence spending by three percent per year in real terms. This increase in spending did not occur, however. The Defence White Paper 2013 had similar strategic themes, but set out a more modest program of defence spending which reflected the government's constrained finances. As part of an election commitment,
1360-424: A forward air control training squadron) as well as one Airborne Early Warning & Control squadron and a Joint Terminal Attack Controller squadron. The ground units supporting these flying squadrons include three expeditionary combat support squadrons, three security force squadrons and a range of intelligence, air traffic control, communications, radar and medical units. The ADF's logistics are managed by
1496-572: A geophysical pattern which is linked to fauna and flora ecosystems . The Riverina bioregion is an area of land that comprises part of the larger Riverina area but also extends into Victoria. It has been defined by the New South Wales Parks and Wildlife Service as extending from Ivanhoe in the Murray Darling Depression Bioregion south to Bendigo , and from Narrandera in the east to Balranald in
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#17327942247901632-515: A leading role in the lifestyle of the Aboriginal people, acting as a source of food and a means of communication and trade. Murray cod and shellfish were gathered for food and bark canoes were used for travel along the rivers. Scars on many trees alongside the rivers are evidence of this extensive use of canoes. In the summer it is likely that the Bangerang and Wiradjuri joined the Monaro groups in
1768-561: A logistics brigade (the 17th Sustainment Brigade ). Under a restructure of the Army's health capability, a new health brigade, designated the 2nd Health Brigade, will be raised in 2023. In addition, there are six Army Reserve brigades; these brigades are administered by the 2nd Division and "paired" with the three regular combat brigades. The Army's main tactical formations are combined arms battlegroups made up of elements drawn from different units. The Special Operations Command commands
1904-449: A member of the bank staff and returned to Victoria £2,000 richer. The close geographic and cultural ties between the Riverina and northern Victoria, combined with continuing frustration with inter colonial tariffs, made the Riverina a fertile area for ideas for uniting the various colonies in an Australian federation . This would see the southern Riverina in particular take a leading role in bringing about federation. Prior to federation,
2040-474: A new Woolshed was constructed, only 10 stands were being used. The Estate of D & W Gibb sold "Cocketgedong in 1972. Moulamein , in the western Riverina, appears to make legitimate claims as the oldest town in the Riverina, and indeed to being older than Melbourne . The settlers often came into conflict with the indigenous inhabitants. In the Narrandera district, a battle took place between settlers and
2176-785: A number of joint operational and training units. These include the Joint Military Police Unit and the Joint Helicopter Aircrew Training School . In 2023, after the release of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) and a recommendation to consolidate the ADF's guided weapons and explosive ordnance (GWEO) across the services, leading to the creation of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group (GWEOG), and
2312-555: A number of non-commissioned vessels. In addition, the RAN maintains a force of combat, logistics and training helicopters. There are two parts to the RAN's structure. One is an operational command, Fleet Command , and the other is a support command, Navy Strategic Command . The Navy's assets are administered by five "forces" which report to the Commander Australian Fleet . These are the Fleet Air Arm ,
2448-622: A prominent academic and former Deputy Secretary in the Department of Defence, has criticised the ADF's current command structure. White argues that the Minister plays too large a role in military decision-making and does not provide the CDF and Secretary of Defence with necessary and sufficient authority to manage the ADO effectively. Under the current ADF command structure the day-to-day management of
2584-517: A purpose-built facility near Bungendore , New South Wales. This is a joint headquarters comprising personnel from the three services and includes a continuously manned Joint Control Centre. HQJOC's main role is to "plan, monitor and control" ADF operations and exercises, and it is organised around groups of plans, operations and support staff. HQJOC also monitors the readiness of the ADF units which are not assigned to operations and contributes to developing Australia's military doctrine. As well as HQJOC,
2720-502: A salt-tolerant grass, saltbush and daisy understorey. Yellow Box ( Eucalyptus melliodora ) and Grey Box ( Eucalyptus microcarpa ) occur along with Cypress Pine ( Callitris glaucophylla ) on areas rarely subjected to flooding. The area away from the rivers often consists of treeless plains, consisting of various saltbush ( Atriplex ) species, Cotton Bush ( Maireana aphylla ) and varieties of Danthonia and Austrostipa native grasslands. Significant mammals endemic to forests in
2856-606: A series of conventions and elections and finally, the inauguration of a federal constitution on 1 January 1901. Large scale irrigation commenced with the establishment of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) in 1912 which diverted water from the Murrumbidgee River near Narrandera. The River Murray Waters Agreement of 1915 allowed 26 weirs to be constructed with locks to provide permanent riverboat access to Echuca. When riverboat transport
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#17327942247902992-441: A signals regiment and three training and personnel support units. The Australian Army's main combat forces are grouped in brigades. Its main conventional forces are three regular combat brigades which are organised on a common structure; the 1st , 3rd and 7th Brigades . Support for the units in these formations is provided by an aviation brigade ( 16th Aviation Brigade ), a combat support and ISTAR brigade ( 6th Brigade ) and
3128-423: Is an agricultural region of southwestern New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation . This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop into one of the most productive and agriculturally diverse areas of Australia. Bordered on the south by the state of Victoria and on
3264-551: Is exercised through a formal command chain headed by the CJOPS, who reports directly to the CDF. The CJOPS commands the Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) as well as temporary joint task forces. These joint task forces comprise units assigned from their service to participate in operations or training exercises. Operational command of the ADF is exercised by HQJOC, which is located at
3400-877: Is home to a campus of Charles Sturt University and two major Australian Defence Force establishments. La Trobe University has a campus in Albury–Wodonga , located just across the state border in Wodonga , Victoria . The delineation of the Riverina region varies by government agency or body. Common official boundaries include the Australian Bureau of Statistics ' Statistical Area Level 4 Riverina region, Australian Electoral Commission 's Federal Election Boundary called Riverina, Natural Resource Management Regions Riverina region, Regional Development Australia's Riverina region and Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia's Riverina region. In common usage
3536-602: Is responsible for committing Australia to war. Contemporary practice, is that a decision to commit the ADF to an "international armed conflict is an exercise of prerogative power pursuant to section 61 of the Constitution " that is made by the NSC without involving the Governor-General. The NSC may refer its decision to the full Cabinet for its endorsement. The Commonwealth Government has never been required by
3672-506: Is responsible for preparing units and individuals for operations. Headquarters 1st Division is responsible for high-level training activities and is capable of being deployed to command large scale ground operations. Only a small number of units are permanently assigned to the 1st Division; these include the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment which forms the pre-landing force for the Australian Amphibious Force,
3808-638: Is stated in the 2016 Defence White Paper that Australia's changing security environment will lead to new demands being placed on the Australian Defence Force. Although it is not expected that Australia will face any threat of direct attack from another country, terrorist groups and tensions between nations in East Asia pose threats to Australian security. More broadly, the Australian Government believes that it needs to make
3944-486: Is the Minister for Defence Industry . The CDF is the most senior appointment in the ADF and commands the force. The CDF is the only four-star officer in the ADF and is a general, admiral or air chief marshal . As well as having command responsibilities, the CDF is the Minister for Defence's principal military adviser. General Angus Campbell is the current CDF, and assumed this position on 1 July 2018. Hugh White ,
4080-723: Is the air power branch of the ADF. The RAAF has modern combat and transport aircraft and a network of bases in strategic locations across Australia. The RAAF has a single operational command, Air Command . Air Command is the operational arm of the RAAF and consists of Air Combat Group , Air Mobility Group , Surveillance and Response Group , Combat Support Group , Air Warfare Centre and Air Force Training Group . Each group consists of several wings . The RAAF has nineteen flying squadrons ; five combat squadrons, two maritime patrol squadrons, six transport squadrons, six training squadrons (including three Operational Conversion Units and
4216-666: Is the best known example in Australia of a substantial ophiolite assemblage. The distinctive rock assemblage over a 130-hectare (320-acre) site provides insights into events in the continental evolution of eastern Australia. The rocks here were part of the oceanic crust and mantle , normally not exposed on the Earth's surface. The rock from the mantle is called Coolac Serpentinite . [REDACTED] Media related to Coolac, New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons Riverina The Riverina ( / ˌ r ɪ v ə ˈ r iː n ə / )
Coolac, New South Wales - Misplaced Pages Continue
4352-679: Is the responsibility of the Joint Logistics Command (JLC) and the single service logistic units, instead CASG has responsibility for the supply and transport of materiel from manufacturers to supply depots. These units include the Navy's Strategic Command and replenishment ships, the Army's 17th Sustainment Brigade and Combat Service Support Battalions, and the Combat Support Group RAAF . The ADF maintains stockpiles of ammunition, fuel and other supplies. Since
4488-632: The Liberal–National Coalition Abbott government commissioned a further defence white paper that was published in 2016. This document also included a commitment to expand the ADF's size and capabilities. There has generally been bipartisan agreement between the ALP and the Liberal–National Coalition on the ADF's role since the mid-1970s. Both political groupings currently support the ADF's focus on expeditionary operations, and
4624-754: The Albanese Ministry two cabinet-level ministers have been responsible for the Defence portfolio since May 2022: the position of Minister for Defence held by the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles , and Matt Keogh is the Minister for Defence Personnel and the Minister for Veterans' Affairs . In addition, there are two junior ministers: Matt Thistlethwaite is the Assistant Minister for Defence and Assistant Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Pat Conroy
4760-815: The Australian Defence Organisation (ADO), which is often referred to as "Defence". A diarchy of the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) and the Secretary of the Department of Defence administers the ADO. The Department of Defence is staffed by both civilian and military personnel, and includes agencies such as the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) and Defence Science and Technology Group (DST Group). The ADF's command arrangements are specified in
4896-647: The Bogong moth feasts in the alpine country to the east. The first European explorer in the Riverina was John Oxley in 1817 following the Lachlan River to what is now the town of Booligal . Oxley was followed by Charles Sturt , who followed the Murrumbidgee downstream to Lake Alexandrina in South Australia between 1828 and 1831 and Major Thomas Mitchell in 1836 on his way to the Wimmera and
5032-482: The Defence Act 1903 and subordinate legislation. This act states that the Minister for Defence "has general control and administration of the Defence Force" and that the CDF and the Secretary of the Department of Defence must "comply with any directions of the Minister". The leaders of the ADO are also responsible to the junior ministers who are appointed to manage specific elements of the defence portfolio. Under
5168-521: The Edward River , an anabranch of the Murray. Much of the water carried by these streams is diverted. In 2001–2002, 52% of the Murray and Murrumbidgee water runoff was diverted, 77% of which was used for irrigation . The Bureau of Meteorology classifies the Riverina in the Hot Dry Zone (with cooler winters) climatic zone. Places in this zone can be very hot in the summer months while in
5304-642: The Hume Highway at Coolac was the last two-lane section of highway between Sydney and the Sturt Highway interchange. Since 1986, plans had been drawn-up for the Coolac bypass, with a review of environmental factors report completed in 1997 but construction did not commence until May 2007 with the project opening in August 2009 - Under AusLink . In August 2009, the Coolac bypass was officially opened. The satirical Bald Archy art competition (named from
5440-702: The Indo-Pacific region. It also concluded that there was no longer a ten-year period of strategic warning before Australia could be involved in a major war. The document stated that the ADF's funding would be expanded, and its capacity to strike at targets from a long distance be improved. In September 2021, Australia entered into the AUKUS trilateral security partnership with the United Kingdom and United States. As part of this partnership, Australia will obtain nuclear attack submarines to significantly improve
5576-717: The Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The ADF has a strength of just over 89,000 personnel and is supported by the Department of Defence alongside other civilian entities. During the first decades of the 20th century, the Australian Government established the armed services as separate organisations, with each service having an independent chain of command . In 1976,
Coolac, New South Wales - Misplaced Pages Continue
5712-646: The Western District . Pastoral settlement followed soon after, with grazing runs established along the Murray and Murrumbidgee as far west as Hay by 1839. At the time, the area was known as the Murrumbidgee District . "Cocketgedong" Station, between Jerilderie and Urana, was established in the 1840s by Messrs Brock & Hardie. A map, dated 1864, held by the State Library of Victoria shows them still in possession. At that time, there
5848-592: The confluence of the Murray and Murrumbidgee is the beginning of the more arid Far West region. In general, the Riverina is an alluvial plain formed by deposition carried from the Great Dividing Range by streams between 30,000 and 15,000 years ago. The terrain includes rolling hills to the east but then becomes flatter to the west with most of that plain reaching less than 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level. The western Riverina consists largely of featureless saltbush plain. The geology of
5984-695: The executive government sections of the Australian Constitution . Section 51(vi) gives the Commonwealth Government the power to make laws regarding Australia's defence and defence forces and Section 114 prevents the States from raising armed forces without the permission of the Commonwealth. Under Section 119 the Commonwealth is assigned responsibility for defending Australia from invasion. This section also sets out
6120-401: The invasion of Iraq . The ADF was subsequently involved in the reconstruction of Iraq. From 2003 until 2005 this was mainly limited to a Security Detachment which protected the Australian embassy, the attachment of officers to multi-national headquarters, small numbers of transport and maritime patrol aircraft, and teams of air traffic controllers and medical personnel. From 2005 until 2008
6256-463: The trade sanctions imposed on Iraq . In 1996, John Howard led the Liberal Party's election campaign and became prime minister. Subsequently, there were significant reforms to the ADF's force structure and role. The new government's defence strategy placed less emphasis on defending Australia from direct attack and greater emphasis on working in co-operation with regional states and Australia's allies to manage potential security threats. From 1997
6392-519: The "garrison" support services at military bases have been provided by private firms . The reforms also led to many of the ADF's logistics units being disbanded or reduced in size. Since this time private firms have increasingly been contracted to provide critical support to ADF units deployed outside Australia. This support has included transporting equipment and personnel and constructing and supplying bases. The Australian Defence Force's intelligence collection and analysis capabilities include each of
6528-423: The 1970s, Australia's military strategy centred on the concept of "forward defence", in which the role of the Australian military was to co-operate with allied forces to counter threats in Australia's region. In 1969, when the United States began the Guam Doctrine and the British withdrew east of Suez , Australia developed a defence policy which emphasised self-reliance and the defence of continental Australia. This
6664-399: The 1991 Gulf War was the first time Australian personnel were deployed to an active war zone since the establishment of the ADF. Although the warships and clearance diving team deployed to the Persian Gulf did not see combat, the deployment tested the ADF's capabilities and command structure. Following the war the Navy regularly deployed a frigate to the Persian Gulf or Red Sea to enforce
6800-460: The 20th century, the development of major irrigation areas in the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys has led to the introduction of crops such as rice and wine grapes . The Riverina has strong cultural ties to Victoria, and the region was the source of much of the impetus behind the federation of Australian colonies. Major population and service centres in the Riverina include the cities of Wagga Wagga , Leeton , Griffith and Albury . Wagga Wagga
6936-542: The ADF has permanent joint operational commands responsible to the CJOPS. Joint Operations Command (JOC) includes the two headquarters responsible for patrolling Australia's maritime borders on a day-to-day basis, Northern Command and Maritime Border Command . Other JOC units include the Joint Movements Group and the Air and Space Operations Centre. Individual ADF units and Joint Task Groups are assigned to JOC during operations, and HQJOC includes officers responsible for submarine and special operations forces. The ADF includes
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#17327942247907072-424: The ADF is distinct from the command of military operations. The services are administered through the ADO, with the head of each service (the Chief of Navy , Chief of Army and Chief of Air Force ) and the service headquarters being responsible for raising, training and sustaining combat forces. Each chief is also the CDF's principal adviser on matters concerning the responsibilities of their service. The CDF chairs
7208-517: The ADF's 57,346 full-time active-duty personnel and 32,049 active reservists as of 30 June 2023 make it the largest military in Oceania, it is smaller than most Asian military forces. However with a national population of just over 27 million, the ADF has an average ratio of military personnel per capita . The ADF is supported by a significant budget by worldwide standards and is well equipped and trained, with defence spending at 2.04% of GDP (as of 2023/24). The ADF's legal standing draws on
7344-503: The Albanese government commissioned the Defence Strategic Review that was publicly released in April 2023. The review found that the security challenges facing Australia had continued to worsen, and called for the ADF to be restructured to meet the threats. This includes transitioning the ADF from its traditional structure of a "balanced force" capable of a range of activities to a "focused force" tailored mainly to protecting Australia from military attack or coercion . As part of this change,
7480-492: The Army's special forces units. It comprises the Special Air Service Regiment , the 2nd Commando Regiment , the reserve 1st Commando Regiment and the Special Operations Engineer Regiment as well as logistics and training units. The Army's special forces units have been expanded since 2001 and are well equipped and capable of being deployed by sea, air or land. As of 2014, Special Operations Command comprised approximately 2,200 personnel. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
7616-450: The Chiefs of Service Committee which comprises the service chiefs, Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS). The CDF and service chiefs are supported by an integrated ADF Headquarters, which replaced separate service headquarters on 1 July 2017. While the individual members of each service ultimately report to their service's Chief, the Chiefs do not control military operations. Control of ADF operations
7752-416: The Constitution or legislation to seek parliamentary approval for decisions to deploy military forces overseas or go to war. By 1870, each of the then Australian colonies maintained their own military forces . On 1 January 1901, the colonies federated into a new nation and on 1 March 1901, these colonial forces were amalgamated to establish the Australian Army and Commonwealth Naval Force. In 1911,
7888-453: The Department of Defence's Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG). The CASG was established in 2015 from the previously semi-independent Defence Materiel Organisation . CASG is responsible for the acquisition of all materiel (except guided weapons and explosive ordnance) and services used by the ADF and maintaining this equipment throughout its life of type. CASG is not directly responsible for supplying deployed ADF units; this
8024-423: The Government also implemented a series of changes to the ADF's force structure to increase the proportion of combat units to support units and improve the ADF's combat effectiveness. The ADF's experiences during the deployment to East Timor in 1999 led to significant changes in Australia's defence policies and, an enhancement of the ADF's ability to conduct operations outside Australia. This successful deployment
8160-425: The Governor-General does not play an active part in the ADF's command structure and the elected government controls the ADF through the Minister for Defence . The Minister for Defence exercises control of the ADF under section 8 of the Defence Act 1903 that states "the Minister has general control and administration of the Defence Force". The Constitution does not contain a provision that expressly states who
8296-464: The Leeton and Yanco district in 1924, expanding to Wakool during World War II , the Denimein and Deniboota Irrigation Areas in the 1950s and Coleambally and Finley in the 1960s. In recent years, rice is also grown in the Hay, Carrathool and Hillston areas. Historically, well over one million tonnes of Australian rice has been produced each year and exported to over 70 countries, generating A$ 500 million in export income and supporting 63 towns in
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#17327942247908432-411: The Middle East during Operation Okra as part of the international war against the Islamic State . The RAAF aircraft conducted air strikes in Iraq and Syria and provided airborne command and control and air-to-air refuelling for the coalition forces. The special forces advised the Iraqi Army and the training unit trained Iraqi soldiers. The RAAF combat aircraft completed operations in January 2018, and
8568-405: The Mine Warfare, Clearance Diving, Hydrographic, Meteorological and Patrol Force, Shore Force, Submarine Force and Surface Force. The Army is organised into three main elements which report to the Chief of Army; the Headquarters of the 1st Division , Special Operations Command and Forces Command . As of 2017, approximately 85% of Army personnel were in units assigned to Forces Command, which
8704-415: The Murray River. The Riverina region is one of the most prosperous grape growing regions in Australia (particularly in Griffith), along with the Barossa Valley in South Australia . The region grows 55% of wine grapes in New South Wales and 15% of the total grape production within Australia and 80% of wine/grape production of New South Wales; the region is Australia's largest producer of wine. Over 50% of
8840-416: The Peppin-developed sheep. The Riverina is home to many Merino studs and the saltbush plains are regarded as one of Australia's best wool growing regions. The Riverina produces the vast majority of rice grown in Australia, particularly in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA), but also around the Finley , Coleambally and Deniliquin areas. The first commercial rice crops in the Riverina were grown in
8976-482: The RAN's capabilities - this replaced a plan to acquire 12 conventionally powered Attack -class submarines in partnership with France. The three AUKUS countries also agreed to collaborate on a range of military technologies. An investigation of allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan was completed in November 2020. The Brereton Report found that there was evidence that 25 Australian special forces personnel committed war crimes on 25 occasions, resulting in
9112-423: The Riverina and northern Victoria. More recently, drought has drastically reduced this quantity to less than 30,000 tonnes with resultant economic effects. Recent rains however will see this volume increase. The headquarters of Ricegrowers Limited , who trade under the SunRice name, is located in Leeton, Australia's rice capital. Major rice mills are located in Leeton , Coleambally and the largest rice mill in
9248-564: The Riverina comprises several troughs and sedimentary basins . The western Riverina is presumed to be a continuation of the Ballarat and Bendigo geological zone while eastern sections are underlain by western portions of the Lachlan Fold Belt . There is potential for the Riverina to host several mineral deposit types including coal , petroleum , coal seam methane , gypsum , orogenic gold, Cobar style polymetallic systems, heavy mineral sands and possibly diamonds in these fold belt rocks and basins. Riverina soils are generally sandy along
9384-427: The Riverina generally comprises the agricultural and pastoral areas of New South Wales, west of the Great Dividing Range and in the drainage basin of the snow-fed Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers . The northern boundary beyond the Riverina is determined by the Lachlan River catchment area and is referred to as the Central West . Along the Murray to the south, the Riverina borders the state of Victoria . West of
9520-474: The Riverina is the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia that defines the bioregion as an area comprising 9,704,469 hectares (23,980,270 acres), with biogeographic sub-regions covering each of the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Murray Fans, Victorian Riverina, Robinvale Plains and Murray Scroll Belt. The NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service has divided New South Wales into 17 distinct bioregions. Bioregions are quite large areas of land that capture
9656-632: The Riverina often includes parts of the Murray SA4 region, as of 2016 the population of Murray was 115,803, 3.4% of the population were indigenous and 17.7% were born outside of Australia. The Riverina includes two cities; Wagga Wagga and Griffith . Other large towns include Leeton , Finley , Deniliquin , Cootamundra , West Wyalong , Narrandera , Junee and Temora . Wagga Wagga is the largest inland city in New South Wales with an estimated resident population of 56,675 people in 2019 and serves as an important employment, educational, cultural, social and entertainment centre for surrounding towns throughout
9792-429: The Riverina's wine production is exported. As a producer of specialist wine grapes, its wine style of international importance is Botrytised Semillon and the outstanding speciality made from these grapes is a " sauternes -style" dessert wine . Irrigation made it possible to grow grapes for wine. The first grapes were planted at Hanwood in the spring of 1913 by John McWilliam and his eldest son Jack who had come to
9928-419: The Riverina. Wagga Wagga's facilities are of metropolitan standards with shopping, cafes, recreational facilities and nightlife present within the city. The two largest centres in population in the region after Wagga Wagga are Griffith and Leeton and they provide advanced services to the outlying farming regions. Parts of the Riverina experienced substantial population growth in the late 1990s and early 2000s; in
10064-489: The Secretary of the Department of Defence , Arthur Tange , submitted a report to the Government that recommended the unification of the separate departments supporting each service under a single Department of Defence, and the creation of the position of Chief of the Defence Force Staff. The government accepted these recommendations, and the Australian Defence Force was established on 9 February 1976. Until
10200-564: The Taliban. An Army infantry company was deployed to Kabul as part of this operation. More than 3,500 people were evacuated by the RAAF. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 Australia provided military assistance to Ukraine. As of April 2023 , this included the transfer of military equipment from the ADF worth $ A475 million and the deployment of an Army training team to
10336-503: The Tullakool Irrigation Area in 1942. The Coleambally Irrigation Area, established in 1968, was the last of the major government-sponsored irrigation developments in New South Wales. The high soil fertility and abundance of water in the Riverina floodplain has made the Riverina region one of the most productive farming regions in Australia with rice, wheat, maize , canola , citrus and wine grapes being grown in
10472-597: The United Kingdom to train Ukrainian soldiers. The election of the ALP Albanese government in May 2022 did not significantly change Australia's defence posture, as the ALP and Coalition parties have broadly similar defence policies. This includes an agreement on China posing a threat to Australia's security. The main difference is that the ALP sees climate change as an important security issue. After coming to power,
10608-423: The adequacy of the fuel stockpile, especially as Australia is largely dependent on imports which could be disrupted in the event of war. The increasing role of the private sector forms an important trend in the ADF's logistics arrangements. During the 1990s many of the ADF's support functions were transferred to the private sector to improve the efficiency with which they were provided. Since these reforms most of
10744-428: The appointment of Air Marshal Leon Phillips, OAM as its head. This moved the responsibility of acquisition and sustainment of the ADF's explosive materiel from CASG to the newly formed GWEOG. The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAN operates just under 50 commissioned warships , including destroyers , frigates , submarines , patrol boats and auxiliary ships, as well as
10880-443: The area. The Riverina contains many irrigation schemes including the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area . 182,000 hectares (450,000 acres) are under irrigation in the region. For the first few decades following the 1830s, European pastoral activity focused in the main on cattle production but by the 1860s sheep were the predominant stock. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the region's agricultural and horticultural production
11016-451: The bioregion include various species of glider, such as Sugar Gliders ( Petaurus breviceps ), Feathertail Gliders ( Acrobates pygmaeus ) and Squirrel Gliders ( Petaurus norfolcensis ) as well as Koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus ) A wide variety of birdlife makes its home in wetlands in the Riverina, including many migratory species. Competition from introduced species and the effect of clearing, grazing and pasture improvement has led to
11152-405: The broad funding target set out in the 2016 Defence White Paper . The ADF's broad force structure has also experienced little change since the 1980s. For instance, throughout this period the Army's main combat formations have been three brigades and the RAAF has been equipped with around 100 combat aircraft. Most of the equipment used by the services has been replaced or upgraded, however. It
11288-519: The bushranger shot dead a policeman in cold blood near Tumbarumba . The reward placed on his head reached £1,000 before, in April 1865, he was shot dead near Wangaratta , Victoria . The infamous Australian bushranger, Ned Kelly , made possibly his most daring raid in the Riverina, at Jerilderie in 1879. After riding overland from north east Victoria, Kelly and his gang in a brazen move captured two local policemen and stole their uniforms. Impersonating
11424-460: The capabilities of the RAN and RAAF and relocating regular Army units to northern Australia. At this time, the ADF had no military units on operational deployment outside Australia. In 1987, the ADF made its first operational deployment as part of Operation Morris Dance , in which several warships and a rifle company deployed to the waters off Fiji in response to the 1987 Fijian coups d'état . While broadly successful, this deployment highlighted
11560-762: The competitiveness of these towns supplying the Melbourne and Adelaide markets. In addition, crossing the border on the Murray River was a tiresome experience as each border crossing had customs posts inspecting goods and luggage to ensure all duty was paid and to reduce smuggling, a popular activity. Another item of concern was the lack of adequate river crossings. Along the Riverina the Murray was—and remains—part of New South Wales, who had no interest in assisting border residents to access goods and services in Victoria that may otherwise have been sourced from Sydney. In
11696-670: The conditions under which the government can deploy the defence force domestically. The Constitution states that the Governor-General is the commander in chief of the ADF. In practical terms, this role is largely ceremonial. The Governor-General exercises this power based on advice from the Prime Minister following deliberations of the National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSC) that considers important national security matters. In practice,
11832-711: The country the next year. The ADF also undertook several operations in Australia's immediate region during the 2000s. In 2003, elements of all three services were dispatched to Solomon Islands as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands . Regular deployments of Australian forces continued to the islands until 2017. Between December 2004 and March 2005, 1,400 ADF personnel served in Indonesia as part of Operation Sumatra Assist , which formed part of Australia's response to
11968-639: The deaths of 39 people and the mistreatment of two others. General Angus Campbell accepted all of the 143 recommendations made in the report. An Office of the Special Investigator was subsequently established to conduct criminal investigations, and the first soldier was charged with war crimes in March 2023. During August 2021, RAAF aircraft participated in an international airlift to evacuate people from Kabul in Afghanistan after it fell to
12104-692: The devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake . In May 2006, approximately 2,000 ADF personnel deployed to East Timor in Operation Astute following unrest between elements of the Timor Leste Defence Force . This deployment concluded in March 2013. From 2006 until 2013 a battalion-sized Australian Army task force operated in Urozgan Province , Afghanistan; this unit was primarily tasked with providing assistance for reconstruction efforts and training Afghan forces, but
12240-651: The differences between the squatters on one side and the small farmers and townspeople on the other causing its objectives to become obscured by other associated issues such as inter-colonial tariffs and rail links. From 1853, the Riverina was linked to markets through a series of riverboats along the Murray and Murrumbidgee to the river ports of Mannum and Goolwa in South Australia and from 1864, to Echuca connected by rail to Melbourne . Riverboats reached as far upstream as Gundagai and Albury and towns such as Darlington Point , Narrandera and Moulamein became important river ports. The riverboat era peaked in
12376-483: The district from their winery in Junee. Irrigation was by carting of water until the irrigation channels were opened a few months later. The first grapes were picked in 1916 and sent to Junee for processing. Penfolds established its winery in the region in 1919. At the 2016 census , the population of the Riverina (ABS SA4 Region) was 155,934, 5.4% of whom were indigenous and 18.4% born outside Australia. In common usage
12512-549: The early 1890s, for mainly patriotic reasons, the Australian Natives' Association helped establish the Federation League, a society dedicated to the creation of a federal nation. Following a series of addresses by the future Prime Minister , Edmund Barton to large crowds, some 15 League branches were established in the towns along the southern border. One of these towns, Corowa , was the location for
12648-523: The east by the Great Dividing Range , the Riverina covers those areas of New South Wales in the Murray and Murrumbidgee drainage zones to their confluence in the west. Home to Aboriginal groups including the Wiradjuri people for over 40,000 years, the Riverina was colonised by Europeans in the mid-19th century as a pastoral region providing beef and wool to markets in Australia and beyond. In
12784-410: The eastern Riverina between Wagga Wagga and Albury saw the depredations of Dan "Mad Dog" Morgan . Having previously been convicted of armed robbery, Morgan came to the attention to authorities in the Riverina when he bailed up a police magistrate, Henry Baylis , near Urana in 1863. In 1864, Morgan bailed up Round Hill station , a large sheep farm near Morven , killing a station hand. Later that year,
12920-549: The estimated resident population of Temora has now expanded to 6307 people. The Riverina is politically conservative and leans towards the National Party on both the federal and state level. Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force ( ADF ) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches:
13056-499: The first conference of the Australian Federation League in 1893. At this conference, Dr John Quick , a delegate from Bendigo, proposed a resolution calling for the colonial legislatures to pass an act providing for the election of representatives to a convention to develop a federal constitution . This has been seen as the turning point in the push for Federation. The momentum generated from this point lead to
13192-427: The five-year period between 1996 and 2001, Griffith's population increased by 10.8%. Until recently Wagga Wagga's population was declining slowly and ageing with strong growth in age groups 40 and over. This has now changed and Wagga Wagga has become one of Australia's leading examples of the "sponge" city phenomenon, attracting residents from smaller towns in the Riverina such as Urana . In the year ended 30 June 2006,
13328-578: The government established the Royal Australian Navy , which absorbed the Commonwealth Naval Force. The Army established the Australian Flying Corps in 1912 which was separated to form the Royal Australian Air Force in 1921. The services were not linked by a single chain of command, as they each reported to their own separate Minister and had separate administrative arrangements. The three services saw action around
13464-474: The government made a strategic change and established the ADF to place the services under a single headquarters. Over time, the degree of integration has increased, and tri-service headquarters, logistics, and training institutions have supplanted many single-service establishments. The ADF has been deployed around the world in combat, peacekeeping and disaster-relief missions. The ADF is technologically sophisticated but relatively small for its landmass. Although
13600-501: The highest levels of military capability and scientific and technological sophistication". To this end, the government intends to improve the ADF's combat power and expand the number of military personnel. This will include introducing new technologies and capabilities. The ADF is also seeking to improve its intelligence capabilities and co-operation between the services. Beginning in August 2014, RAAF combat forces, an Army special forces task force and an Army training unit were deployed to
13736-405: The hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csa ) zone, although areas in the southwest of the region would feature the semi-arid ( BSk ) climate and those in the east would have a humid subtropical ( Cfa ) climate, though still with Mediterranean climate tendencies when it comes to the rainfall pattern. Rainfall levels in the Riverina are generally low with the median annual rainfall over most of
13872-598: The land which seemed a desert was actually good fattening country. In the 1860s and 1870s, German settlers from the Barossa Valley travelled upstream to settle in the eastern Riverina. Because of their religious distinctiveness as Lutherans , they preferred to form clustered German settlements . In 1867 and 1868 several land parcels were taken up in the Jindera area. 56 German farmers, in 1869, took six weeks to travel six hundred miles in covered wagons to establish
14008-493: The late 1990s, ammunition for the three services has been stored in a network of facilities managed by the JLC. The creation of a GWEO Group moved the responsibility of acquisition and sustainment of Explosive Materiel within the ADF from JLC and CASG to itself. The ADF also holds several months' worth of fuel for the Navy's vessels and several weeks' worth for aircraft and vehicles. A number of defence analysts have raised concerns over
14144-410: The leasehold was resumed for Soldier Settlement blocks, leaving "Cocketgedong" with 36,000 acres and "North Urana" 9000 acres divided by several holdings. The latter part was sold in the early 1950s, leaving the approximate area originally taken up by Brock & Hardie, held by the D & W Gibb Estate. The Woolshed constructed in 1910 consisted of 20 stands, although by 1970 when it was demolished after
14280-511: The local Narrungderra clan at a location now known as Massacre Island, reportedly leaving only one survivor. Cattle raising was the major industry in the 1840s with sheep becoming predominant in the 1860s. At this time many Victorians settled in the Riverina to breed sheep and cattle to feed the miners taking part in the Victorian Gold Rush . The herds were considered inferior at first, but these pastures were good for stock, and
14416-659: The more prestigious Archibald Prize ) began in Coolac at the Coolac Festival of Fun, launched by Peter Batey . The home of this competition is now the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga and it also travels to Sydney and Melbourne for exhibition once Maude the Cockatoo, who is the official judge, selects the winning entries each year. The Coolac Geological Site 48 kilometres (30 mi) north-east of Coolac,
14552-608: The movement strongest in Deniliquin and Albury , Dunmore Lang, squatter and parliamentarian Gideon Lang (unrelated) and other influential pastoralists joined with local newspaper editors, George Mott and David Jones in the campaign. This culminated in presenting petitions to the Governor of New South Wales , Sir John Young and the Colonial Secretary , Edward Cardwell . Soon after the movement fell apart due to
14688-598: The need for the ADF to improve its capability to rapidly respond to unforeseen events. Since the late 1980s, the Government has increasingly called upon the ADF to contribute forces to peacekeeping missions around the world. While most of these deployments involved only small numbers of specialists, several led to the deployment of hundreds of personnel. Large peacekeeping deployments were made to Namibia in early 1989, Cambodia between 1992 and 1993, Somalia in 1993, Rwanda between 1994 and 1995 and Bougainville in 1994 and from 1997 onwards. The Australian contribution to
14824-477: The other aircraft were withdrawn in September 2020. The Army training force departed in mid-2020. The Australian Government believes that the country's strategic circumstances are worsening due to the threat posed by China. This has led to decisions to expand the ADF and enhance its ability to participate in high intensity combat. The 2020 Defence Strategic Update called for the ADF's efforts to be focused on
14960-564: The police, they then proceeded to rob the Bank of New South Wales and held the town captive for several days. While in Jerilderie, he sought to have his manifesto published, the famous Jerilderie letter, a rambling 8,000-word condemnation of the colonial administration in Victoria and specifically the treatment of the Irish . Being unable to find the local newspaper editor, he left the letter with
15096-449: The population of Wagga Wagga grew by 1.3%, driven by its role as the regional centre for the Riverina and its hosting of a campus of Charles Sturt University and Australian Defence Force bases. The Local Government Area of Temora experienced a population decline in the early 2000s, dropping from 6288 people in 2001 to a low of 5936 in 2009. Since then the LGA has grown steadily. As of 2019
15232-516: The readiness and equipment of ADF units, expanding the ADF and increasing real Defence expenditure by 3% per year; in the event, expenditure increased by 2.3% per annum in real terms in the period to 2012–13. In 2003 and 2005, the Defence Updates emphasised this focus on expeditionary operations and led to an expansion and modernisation of the ADF. Since 2000, the ADF's expanded force structure and deployment capabilities have been put to
15368-419: The region between 250–500 millimetres (9.8–19.7 in), rising to between 500–800 mm (20–31 in) on the eastern fringe. Because the region is situated on the upwind side of the Great Dividing Range , winter would receive the most rainfall in the year, with areas in the southern Riverina (around Albury ), having the wettest winters, while in the north rainfall patterns are fairly consistent throughout
15504-407: The review recommended reducing the planned size of the Army's mechanised forces and expanding its long-range firepower. The review also identified climate change as a threat to Australia and called for a "whole of nation effort" to defending Australia that goes beyond the ADF. The government accepted most of the review's recommendations. The Australian Defence Force and Department of Defence make up
15640-424: The river channels, with more saline grey and brown clays found on rarely flooded areas on the perimeter of the floodplain. As the Murrumbidgee passes downstream, the water and soil become more saline. The Riverina is drained by the large Murray-Darling Basin . Rivers and streams in the Riverina generally flow east to west. As well as the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan, other streams include Billabong Creek and
15776-662: The section beyond Murrabit after 1932 and it was closed about 1943. Standard gauge rail services from Sydney came with the extension of the Main Southern line to Cootamundra and Junee in 1878 and the construction of the Murrumbidgee River Railway Bridge in 1881 allowed the line to be extended past Wagga Wagga to Henty and Albury later that year. A branch line was constructed to Temora in 1893 and extended to Barellan in 1908, Griffith in 1916 and Hillston in 1923. Further south,
15912-607: The southern hemisphere in Deniliquin. The area generally known as "the Riverina" is broader than the area legally defined as the Riverina wine region Australian Geographical Indication (AGI) as registered in the Register of Protected GIs. The Riverina GI is centred on Griffith and is roughly circular with towns on the boundary including Mossgiel , Condobolin , Temora , Junee , Culcairn , Berrigan , Finley , Deniliquin and Moulamein . It does not extend as far south as
16048-617: The test on several occasions. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Australia committed a special forces task group and an air-to-air refuelling aircraft to operations in Afghanistan , and naval warships to the Persian Gulf as Operation Slipper . In 2003, approximately 2,000 ADF personnel, including a special forces task group, three warships and 14 F/A-18 Hornet aircraft, took part in
16184-460: The three services remained fully independent. The absence of a central authority resulted in poor coordination between the services, with each service organising and operating under different military doctrine . The need for an integrated command structure received more emphasis due to inefficient arrangements during the Vietnam War which at times hindered the military's efforts. In 1973,
16320-638: The town of Walla Walla . Nearby Holbrook was originally named Germantown after these settlers until changing its name in 1914 as a result of tensions caused by World War I . The name "Riverine", coined from the Entre Ríos Province (between two rivers) in Argentina, South America, was in use as early as 1857: a long letter under the caption "Riverine Colony" appeared in the Albury Border Post of 24 January that year. The name
16456-416: The twenty years from 1870 to 1890, declining with the coming of the railway and finally ending with the disruption to the workforce caused by World War I. From Melbourne, broad gauge railway lines opened to Deniliquin in 1876 and west to Moulamein and Balranald in 1926. The Moulamein–Balranald section closed in the 1980s. The North East line reached Wodonga in 1873, and was connected to Albury at
16592-423: The various Australian colonies could, and often did, charge tariffs on goods from the other colonies, ostensibly for the protection of their domestic manufacturing industries, mainly based in the larger cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. For a border community such as the southern Riverina, these tariffs were a sore burden, making goods purchased from Melbourne, the closest large city, more expensive and reducing
16728-620: The west. 74.03% of the bioregion is in New South Wales, the remainder in Victoria. In another mapping the World Wildlife Fund has made this area part of the larger Southeast Australia temperate savanna ecoregion that covers the western plains of New South Wales. River channels in the region support River Red Gum ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis ) and River Cooba ( Acacia stenophylla ) communities. Nearby higher areas contain Black Box ( Eucalyptus largiflorens ) woodlands and
16864-842: The western plains where the town of Hay , the Muthi-Muthi along the Lowbidgee, Gurendji and the Yida-Yida of Oxley. Along both sides of the Murray River lived the Yorta Yorta people inhabiting the area of the Riverina as far east as the present day city of Albury and as far north as the Finley and Deniliquin districts. The Murray was also home to other groups such as the Bangerang , Baraba-Baraba , Wemba-Wemba , Wadi-Wadi, Dadi-Dadi and Paarkantji communities. The rivers played
17000-612: The winter, nights can be considerably cold with cool to mild days. Mean daily maximum temperatures in the Riverina range from 31.0 °C (87.8 °F) in January and 12.4 °C (54.3 °F) in July in Wagga Wagga to 33.2 °C (91.8 °F) in January and 14.8 °C (58.6 °F) in July in Hillston . Under the Köppen climate classification , the region predominantly falls in
17136-612: The withdrawal of the combat forces in 2013, ADF training teams have continued to be stationed in the country to train Afghan forces. The Australian Labor Party (ALP) governments led by prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard between 2007 and 2013 commissioned two defence white papers, which were published in 2009 and 2013. The 2009 document, Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030 , had
17272-624: The world during World War I and World War II , and took part in conflicts in Asia during the Cold War . The importance of joint warfare was made clear to the Australian military during World War II when Australian naval, ground and air units frequently served as part of single commands. Following the war, several senior officers lobbied for the appointment of a commander-in-chief of the three services. The government rejected this proposal and
17408-552: The year. Corowa , in the south eastern Riverina has an average rainfall of 539.4 millimetres (21.2 in) per year while mean annual rainfall at Hay is 367.2 millimetres (14.5 in). Drought in 2006 saw the lowest ever recorded rainfall in towns such as Lockhart , Tarcutta and Narrandera . Despite the very low elevation compared to other regions of the state known for colder winters, snow has been recorded on multiple occasions in Albury and Wagga Wagga, and on 24 July 1936
17544-478: Was coined by Dunmore Lang who translated it from the Spanish. Dunmore Lang was also involved with the short-lived Riverina secession movement which was active in the 1860s. The movement was inspired by the success of the Victorian and Queensland secession movements and motivated by a desire to draw more public funds to the region and maintain the favourable land tenure the " squatter " pastoralists enjoyed. With
17680-420: Was frequently involved in combat. In addition, Special Forces Task Groups were deployed from 2005 to 2006 and 2007 until 2013. Other specialist elements of the ADF, including detachments of CH-47 Chinook helicopters and RAAF radar and air traffic control units, were also periodically deployed to the country. A total of 40 ADF personnel were killed in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2013, and 262 wounded. Following
17816-522: Was known as the Defence of Australia Policy . Under this policy, the focus of Australian defence planning was to protect Australia's northern maritime approaches (the Air-Sea Gap) against enemy attack. In line with this goal, the ADF was restructured to increase its ability to strike at enemy forces from Australian bases and to counter raids on continental Australia. The ADF achieved this by increasing
17952-601: Was little fencing and the sheep were brought back to camps each night by the shepherds. The camps named on the map include Stockyard Camp, Mick's Hill Camp, Columba Camp, The Gums Camp, Coonong Camp, and Sydney Gate Camp. Messrs Watt & Thomson, the owners of an adjoining property, "North Urana", subsequently purchased "Cocketgedong" from Brock & Hardie, giving them a total area of approximately 65,000 acres. In 1904 D & W Gibb, Wool Brokers in Melbourne, purchased "Cocketgedong" which comprised 45,000 acres freehold and approximately 20,000 acres Crown Leasehold. After World War I,
18088-424: Was never completed. The Murray River bridge between Robinvale and Euston was instead converted to a road bridge, which will be demolished when the new road bridge currently under construction is completed. The Stony Crossing railway line was built from Kerang to Murrabit in 1924 and Stony Crossing (originally called Poonboon) in 1928 under an agreement with New South Wales. No passenger services were carried on
18224-617: Was no longer significant, the weirs supported irrigation. Irrigation in the region continued to develop with the construction of the Hume Dam between 1919 and 1931, the Burrinjuck Dam built in 1928 and Blowering Dam built in 1968. Development and promotion of the MIA led to large scale settlement on land described by Oxley 100 years earlier as "country which, for barrenness and desolation, can I think, have no equal." Settlers came from
18360-432: Was the first time a large ADF force had operated outside of Australia since the Vietnam War and revealed shortcomings in its ability to mount and sustain such operations. In 2000, the Government released a new Defence White Paper, Defence 2000 – Our Future Defence Force , that placed a greater emphasis on preparing the ADF for overseas deployments. The Government committed to improve the ADF's capabilities by improving
18496-558: Was worth more than A$ 1 billion. The region produces: In 1991–92 sheep and lamb numbers in the region were close to seven million and there were 500,000 meat cattle. The Riverina is also a significant almond growing region. Much of the dryland areas of the Riverina contain large sheep stations , producing medium class wool . The Peppin Merino sheep was first bred in the area around Wanganella . As many as 70 percent of today's Australian Merinos are said to be directly descended from
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