In a letter to The Weekly Times, a lady from Victoria's Alpine region made some interesting points on the wild dog issue.

She notes that research has found that 87 per cent of all wild dogs in Victoria are pure dingoes and that the "dingo" is not a separate species but an ancient breed of domestic dog brought to Australia some 4000 years ago by Asian seafarers.

Sheep producers to our near north report vastly improved lamb survival since the installation of exclusion fencing.

A QUICK trip to the north west this week showed us the pre-Easter season hardly varies from Bathurst to the Warrumbungles, with some nice brassica forage crops on lower country close to Mudgee.

Towards the Great Dividing Range around Merriwa/Cassilis is said to be pretty dusty, as are eastern parts of our district.

Away to the south in Tasmania and King Island, conditions in some parts are described as the worst in 100 years.

Two recent store sales at Powranna resulted in more than half of the yardings being sold to mainland buyers as far away as Tamworth.

Widespread autumn rains will be very welcome.

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

A READER is selling two elevated dog kennels, a metre above ground, galvanised steel construction and safe and secure for your dogs.

These units were used as "bitches' boxes" and details are available from 0428 609 546.

BATHURST Regional Council mayor, Jess Jennings, keeps us up to date with his ownership and regular use of his Tesla electric car.

Only a mug would denigrate hybrid or electric vehicles as we know that the EV technology and the price of the vehicles will evolve over time and the present day critic may be disappointed.

Jess mentions that he has delivered cattle to CTLX Carcoar in a trailer that was towed by the Tesla.

I hope that the cattle were young and small as I still freeze at the memory of the Little Bride and I carting an 800kg Angus bull on a Holden one-tonner in the 1960s.

Our happy marriage could have ended on that trip.

BATHURST district residents might really enjoy the feature article in the current issue of Wheels magazine.

It outlines a road test of a Porsche Dakar 4WD sports car from Sydney to Mount Panorama and return via Sofala and Hill End and featuring a south to north crossing of the historic Bridle Track.

This is a 16-page article, includes some excellent drone photos, mentions the Crossley Bridge at Sofala (named after my grandfather) and has lots of details of the Turon and Macquarie rivers.

WE all accept the need for outside interests for country people (especially men of all ages) so that we don't get bogged down in the day-to-day ups and downs of the farming cycle.

The great start to the NRL season in Las Vegas, a big win to Lady of Camelot in the Golden Slipper, the Gold Crown and Gold Tiara in Bathurst this weekend and lots of car racing must be a tonic for a lot of mental health problems.

We have often been told to enjoy the races of all forms and to only bet occasionally. If we only talk sheep, cows and wool, we risk having animal manure in both eyes.

ANY Central West resident who feels a bit down at Easter should take a quiet drive from Bathurst CBD to the brickworks turn-off at Glanmire and appreciate the tremendous job that has been completed in highway roadworks.

Paul Toole and Andrew Gee have overseen these developments that have vastly improved traffic flow.

ROSEMARY and I wish readers of Rural Notebook a happy and peaceful Easter with family and friends.

The tableland climate is often suited to friendly get-togethers, both indoors and out, pullovers and warm socks and often it brings the first frost and sometimes the first wood fire in the fireplace.

We can all find fault with governments and councils, but Easter 2024 is a great time to write council policy speeches if we feel that we can do better than the present council in our area.

We hope that our readers enjoy good health and the peace of Easter.

FOR two people in marriage to live together day after day is undoubtedly the one miracle that the Vatican overlooked.

***

THE Bishop experienced problems with the microphone when visiting a small country church.

He started to say "The Lord be with you", then hesitated.

"There's something wrong with this," he said.

"And also with you," the sparse congregation answered.

DESPITE the Australian dollar dropping 1.4 per cent relative to the US dollar to a new level of 0.6526, the wool market in week 38 continued to weaken.

The EMI (Eastern Market Indicator) lost 15ac/kg to a new level of 1152ac/kg.

In US dollar terms, Australian wool looked up to 2.6pc cheaper.

Fleece types in Sydney lost 30-40c/kg clean on the first day as they seemed to find levels where business had been done or could be done.

A large Chinese operator entered the market on the second day, which saw the market stabilise or slightly improve.

Skirting types were irregular as buyers discounted colour and cotted types.

Crossbred wools continue to trade around the same levels we have been seeing for the past four months.

According to the ABS, China purchased nearly 86pc of the Australian wool clip for the first half of the 2023/24 selling season. This is a lift on last year.

Week 39 has an estimated offering of 49,814 bales.

A THOUGHT for the week: a curious mind never gets old.