Maddelin McCosker
Longreach, QLD
Maddelin is the Rural Reporter in Western Queensland.
Latest by Maddelin McCosker
Flooding in outback Queensland a 'godsend' for grazier who has missed the rain
In any other situation, floodwaters spanning 6 kilometres would be a cause for alarm, but in the Channel Country, it is a welcome sight.
Don't let their size fool you, dachshunds love being muster dogs
Muster Dogs is back and Bluey's a viewing staple in many Australian homes, so it's no surprise some breeders have noticed an increasing demand for working dogs. But there are a few points to consider before deciding if a working dog is right for you.
As coastal towns expect a battering from cyclone, outback graziers hope the rain finds them
Heavy rainfall is predicted for much of Queensland as Cyclone Kirrily slowly moves towards the coast. For graziers inland, it could offer a reprieve from extreme heat and dry conditions.
January rain a 'game changer' for outback Queensland graziers with more to come as monsoons develop in the north
It is usually fireworks that ring in the new year — but for farmers and graziers across Queensland, 2024 has been welcomed in with lightning, thunder and much-needed rain.
Gas and oil exploration banned in Queensland's Channel Country, traditional owners celebrate
Traditional owners say they can "breathe a little easier" after the Queensland government announced it would ban new gas and oil developments in remote south-west Queensland's Channel Country.
Are high-school students the answer to an industry wide skilled-worker shortage?
Students from Longreach State High School are getting out of the classroom and into the paddock to learn the ropes of the agriculture industry.
Duration: 1 minute 36 seconds
135 applicants, just 12 positions: Demand for ag courses soars in the bush
It's much dustier than the average classroom, but the lessons these students are taking could prove invaluable to Australia's agricultural industry amid the worker shortage.
In Queensland, new mums in non-birthing hospital towns are falling through the gaps
Blackall has had almost 20 babies born this year, but parents have to travel more than 200 kilometres to a birthing hospital and some women are away from home for up to six weeks.
It may look like a scene from an old western movie, but this is modern cattle droving
They spend months away from their homes and families moving thousands of animals in the dust of "the long paddock", but these drovers say they're "married to the mob".
Artificial intelligence technology to analyse status of 'cryptic' bird, bilby and kowari on outback station
The search for the plains-wanderer will involve AI and bio-acoustic recorders to detect it and other highly vulnerable species.
Soaring diesel prices could have customers paying more for 'everything'
Businesses struggling with record high diesel prices say they have no choice but to pass the increase on.
Road trips through outback Australia are big bucket list items, but unsealed roads can cause havoc
In dry and dusty outback Queensland, rain is always a welcome sight. But for a region where the only means of transportation is a dirt road, even small falls can leave a mess.
EFTPOS machines, medical devices, older mobile phones could be useless when 3G switched off
The 3G network switch-off dates are looming. Telcos say Australia is ready for the transition to 4G and 5G, but some community members disagree.
Why an 'electronic nose' developed by NASA could be a game changer for the livestock industry
An Australian farmer is working with NASA to adapt space tech for the cattle industry to detect early pregnancies in cows.
Australian lamb production is soaring and that's mouthwatering news for shoppers
There's more sheep than people in Australia, so as numbers grow and trade talks with the EU continue, where will our sheepmeat go?
Wool so good in outback Queensland, this cattle king is thinking about giving sheep a go
Pastoralist George Scott has been watching how his neighbours fared with sheep and is now thinking about diversifying. A wool judge, meanwhile, has declared this season the best he's ever seen.
Cheaper steaks on the way as more meat heads to market
An intense herd rebuild has left Australia with more cattle for market, and graziers and consumers alike are set to benefit.
Cashing in on cattle herd
With Australia's cattle herd expected to reach 28.7 million head, its highest level in a decade, cattle graziers in Queensland's Channel Country are cashing in and taking advantage of three consecutive wet seasons. With the country's herd on the rise, Bob and Andrea Speed at Retreat Station are busy mustering thousands of head of cattle to get them to market.
Duration: 4 seconds
Hopes gas leases 'don't see light of day' again after Origin surrenders them to Queensland government
Australia's largest energy company has surrendered 10 out of its 11 gas licences in Queensland's fragile Channel Country, but some are concerned the government could sell them on to another bidder.
DNA tests find most wild dogs are pure dingoes, as farmers fight to protect livestock
Dingo or wild dog? The question has divided farmers and conservationists for years, but new research suggests the animals were dingoes all along.
Battle to improve artificial insemination rates finds what's good for cows isn't necessarily good for ewe
Achieving consistent pregnancy rates among sheep via artificial insemination has been a battle because of their "peculiar anatomy", but new research hopes to change that.
New owners of former Longreach Pastoral College land have big plans
Tourism, the re-creation of historical Chinese gardens on the Thomson River, and the expansion of sheep, cattle and goat production will be among the uses by the new owners.
Paul loves his camels, and now thanks to their weed-eating superpowers, so do farmers
Every hero has a villain, and for many in the outback it is a thorny shrub called prickly acacia.
Scary emus and prickles in your jammies — what it's like to ride a horse across the outback
Kylie Reed and her friends have travelled 1,300km in the saddle for a cause close to their hearts. Now, all they have to do is ride home again.
This is the cheapest red meat in Australia, but chances are you can't buy it
It costs half as much as lamb and farmers have too much of it, so in a cost-of-living crisis why aren't we eating more goat meat?