Lucy Cooper
Townsville, QLD
Lucy Cooper is a multiplatform rural reporter based in Townsville. She previously worked as a rural reporter in the Toowoomba newsroom. Hailing from Tasmania, Lucy studied Ag Business at UTAS, and upon discovering she could talk until the cows came home, she knew she was destined for the ABC.
Latest by Lucy Cooper
Roman can't explain how he finds water with a bit of bent steel, but his services are heavily in demand
There is no scientific evidence that water divining works, so why are so many landholders still using it as a method to find water?
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.
Farmers say they can't produce food efficiently without Roundup, as class action considers health impacts
It's the weedkiller that transformed agriculture, paving the way for farming that is gentler on the land, but now an Australian court is set to determine if glyphosate can cause cancer.
With summer comes snake season and all sorts of safety ideas, but one simple strategy tops the lot
There is no shortage of snakes this summer, or ideas on how to avoid them — especially from so-called experts on social media — but those in the field say one simple action might be the most effective of all.
Pacific Island workers in regional Queensland win a national Christmas singing competition
These farm workers will spend Christmas away from their families to keep produce on Australian plates, but they have a found a beautiful way to make sure there is plenty of festive cheer.
First floods swept away crops. Now the banana industry faces an even greater risk
Queensland growers are on high alert this week with devastating floods increasing the possible spread of Panama TR4 fungal disease — the greatest threat to banana production worldwide.
Cairns enduring largest flood on record as BOM forecasts rainfall will not ease until Tuesday — as it happened
Emergency flood alerts have been issued for parts of Queensland's Far North, following torrential rainfall in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Tropical Cyclone Jasper expected to weaken overnight, but damaging winds and heavy rainfall remain — as it happened
The cyclone is expected to take several hours to fully cross the coast due to its size, with authorities warning of potentially life-threatening flash flooding. Look back on Wednesday's updates.
Farmer startups backing themselves to bring chocolate capsicum and other 'new fruit' to markets
From pink custard apples and sweeter capsicums that resemble the colour of chocolate, these Queensland farmers are working to bring innovative new varieties to supermarket shelves.
Should we remove best-before dates on produce?
Advocates say a simple change would stop Australian households from unwittingly throwing out perfectly edible food, and they are banding together to get the regulator on board.
Farmers breathe sigh of relief as livestock prices rebound after rain
Prices for some cattle have doubled as buyer confidence is restored following rainfall for many areas that have endured a long dry spell.
Outback postie delivers to 34 mail boxes across 600km but has found a way to create a tight-knit community
Bec Climie tries to make every mail run special. When she realised that Julia Creek didn't have a traditional agricultural show, she took it upon herself to create a "show day" for the people she delivered mail to.
From the bush to the international stage, Sam is breaking records and paving the way
Sam Le Feuvre got involved in sport to connect with people like him. In just 12 months, the schoolboy became an Australian record holder before going on to compete for his country.
Country music is all the rage in the US, but in Australia it's still no sure thang
In recent weeks, four country songs have held the number one American chart slot consecutively. But for Australian country artists, it's a long hard road to stardom.
Rats rampage across outback Queensland, chewing through crops, homes and machines
Residents in the state's north are at war with rodents invading properties, contaminating water and infesting vehicles, as cane farmers estimate they will lose more than 100,000 tonnes of crop to the pests this season.
'God help us if war day breaks out': No vaccine for lumpy skin disease and no plans to have one causes alarm
It's three times more likely to occur than an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, but Australia still has no vaccine bank for lumpy skin disease — and vets are worried.
Mangoes replace fundraiser choccies at some schools — but this year's harvest has parents worried
The Mango Fundraiser initiative from North Queensland sends mangoes straight from the farm to schools and community organisations that need extra financial support, but the fruit is in short supply.
Hold the pav. North Queensland mangoes set to be in short supply at Christmas after warm winter
A warmer-than-average winter will see fewer Queensland mangoes on supermarket shelves this Christmas, with producers warning a lower yield will lead to a reduced supply of the tropical fruit.
Mini bulls at the heart of rodeo revival
Fat and fluffy mini bulls are here and ready to give the next generation of bull riders a taste of the bucking rodeo action, often described as the most dangerous eight seconds in sport.
Queensland farmers have grown too many vegetables, but who's to blame?
Ideal growing conditions this year have seen the volume of vegetables in one of Australia's largest winter production regions skyrocket, leading to oversupply and low farmgate prices.
Qld without Indonesian live export facility following saleyards suspension
Queensland has been left without its only operating export depot to Indonesia after its government suspended live cattle imports from four Australian export facilities amid lumpy skin disease infections.
Cut food waste and save money with five tips from a famous foodie
Australians each throw out a whopping 300 kilograms of food every year. But these tricks from award-winning author and broadcaster Alice Zaslavsky can help reduce your waste — and put money back into your wallet.
Australian sugar farmers happy to be back helping the UK stay sweet
The Ashes may have soured ties between Australia and the UK last week, but Aussie sugar is set to ease tensions with a sweet deal.
'Only good for a duck': Unusual winter wet to make way for warmer weather in the north
Record-breaking winter rain is sweeping across Queensland, keeping temperatures low — but the far north will soon be in for a scorcher.
Going fishing? There are new rules for Queenslanders from today
Fisheries Queensland says new catch limits are to rebuild the fishery for future generations, but the state's peak seafood body says new reductions to Spanish mackerel quotas are "nonsense".