Taiwanese baseball star swings for South Australia

By Melissa Keogh

A “rockstar” baseball player from Taiwan will help shine a spotlight on South Australia when he hits big for Adelaide’s baseball team later this year.

Chang Tai-Shan is one of the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s (CPBL) top sluggers and has been recruited by Adelaide Bite for the upcoming 2017/18 Australian Baseball League season.

The deal with the 40-year-old big hitter – nicknamed the ‘Tarzan’ by his fans – is expected to help boost SA’s exposure in Asia and generate a number of commercial deals.

Baseball is a multi-billion dollar industry in China, and Adelaide Bite executive officer Nathan Davison says SA stands to benefit from the deal.

Nathan heads to Taiwan this week to officially announce the signing of the veteran slugger, who holds the CPBL’s record for the most home runs at 289.

“He’s at that time in his career where he’s looking to get to that 300 home run and play in another country,” says Nathan, who is also executive officer of Baseball SA.

“We get a lot of interest (from overseas players to play in Adelaide) but not people of this calibre.”

Veteran slugger Chang Tai-Shan from Taiwan will head for Adelaide to play for the city's team, Adelaide Bite.

Veteran slugger Chang Tai-Shan from Taiwan will head for Adelaide to play for Adelaide Bite.

In February a Taiwanese team came to Brisbane and played one exhibition game which was viewed by half-a-million people on FacebookLive and about 150,000 YouTube viewers.

Nathan says the partnership could lead to commercial sponsorship, while a TV deal for the games to be aired or streamed in Taiwan is also on the cards.

“We have the opportunity to convince people to come and see beautiful Adelaide,” he says.

“We have a facility here, but it’s getting to the right people and saying, ‘did you know that we can do this in Adelaide?’”

The Adelaide Bite team is based in West Beach and is one of the Australian Baseball League’s founding teams.

Its first game for the upcoming 2017/18 season kicks off on November 17 in a four-match series against Sydney Blue Sox.

Bite will return to the diamond at West Beach, Adelaide, to face off against Melbourne Aces on November 23.

Nathan says the exposure Chang Tai-Shan’s recruitment is expected to bring could help boost the profile of baseball in SA.

“We hover around the second or third (top sport in SA) and we get up there with netball and basketball from time to time in playoffs,” he says.

“Baseball has a global footprint and we have the opportunity to expand ours.”

Nathan says the language barriers between the big hitter and fellow teammates could prove a challenge, however the 40-year-old’s experience on the diamond is likely to inspire Bite youngsters.

“He’s a very experienced guy,” he says.

“Hopefully he gets plenty of hits.”

Shirley’s love for the show’s ‘gentle giants’

By Melissa Keogh

From cupcakes to guinea pigs and chirping budgerigars, the Royal Adelaide Show is once again alive with 34,000 entries vying for winning ribbons.

Aside from the cute and fluffy entries in the 2017 event is 680kg of prime muscle by way of a Charolais bull named Masterpiece.

The “gentle giant’s” owner is Adelaide Hills handler Shirley Barker who has exhibited cattle at every Royal Adelaide Show for nearly 40 years.

“To be honest I think all of the royal shows in the country, I think we have the best and the most agricultural outlook,” she says.

“And that’s the name of the game because, after all, the show is run by the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia.”

Long-time Royal Adelaide Show exhibitor Shirley Barker with her 680kg Charolais bull, Masterpiece.

Long-time Royal Adelaide Show exhibitor Shirley Barker with her 680kg Charolais bull, Masterpiece.

This year, Shirley has also entered in the show a number of other cattle from her Mt Barker stud Caithness, including two more bulls, three heifers and a steer.

So far 2017 has been all about the third place ribbons, with the three bulls taking third in their categories.

“We got run over by the Victorians,” Shirley says.

“In 2015 we won just about everything and did extremely well.

“It all depends on the judges and what they’re looking for.”

Caithness bulls are renowned for their reasonable temperaments, good growth, muscle and structure.

Shirley says she has “no fear” of the muscular animals.

“I started riding horses when I was four and I’ve grown up with animals all my life,” she says.

“They (bulls) are gentle things surprisingly, you can walk into their yard and they don’t move.

“You learn to work them out over the years, they hate being stared at.”

Growing up on her family’s property in Mt Barker, as a young adult Shirley strayed from her agricultural interests and studied medicine, travelling overseas to work in US and UK hospitals.

Returning to Australia, she reconnected to her agricultural roots and began showing cattle in the Royal Adelaide Show in the 1970s alongside her late husband, Victor.

Shirley’s livestock are paraded through the showground’s cattle pavilion alongside other competitors from across regional South Australia.

“The best part of the show is seeing all your friends because that’s the only time you see them,” she says.

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Our new RAH: world class and high tech

By Melissa Keogh

Welcome to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Eight-hundred beds, 2300 car parks, 70 open spaces, 7000 staff and a fleet of robots.

Wait, what?

Among the new RAH’s cutting-edge technology includes Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) that will reduce heavy manual work for staff, giving them more time to focus on patients.

But before Star Wars fans get too excited, the ‘RAHbots’ are simply flat, stainless steel devices on wheels and the Health Department says most hospital visitors won’t get a chance to see them.

The AGVs travel at walking pace behind the scenes via 14 lifts and 27 lift lobbies to carry large trolleys of linen, waste, equipment and patients’ meals.

The RAHbots have the ability to talk to lifts, doors and portable phones.

The Automated Guided Vehicles travel at walking pace to carry linen, waste, instruments and patients’ meals, but do not come into contact with hospital visitors.

The Automated Guided Vehicles travel at walking pace to carry linen, waste, instruments and patients’ meals, but do not come into contact with hospital visitors.

The new era of world class health care began in South Australia this week with the opening of the new RAH, the state’s most anticipated building.

In another show of cutting-edge, world-class technology is the new hospital’s Automated Pharmacy Distribution System.

It uses technology to track patients’ medication, recording when and where the drug was dispensed.

The system also includes two robotic machines which unpack, store and dispense medications and 82 Automated Dispensing Cabinets which “securely store medication in clinical areas”.

The cabinets allow for faster access to prescribed medications ensuring the process is safer and more efficient.

State Health Minister Jack Snelling says the high-tech systems minimise manual processes and mean less chance of human error.

Central Adelaide Local Health Network’s associate director of pharmacy services, Anna McClure, says pharmacy automated systems are safe and efficient ways of improving patients’ treatment.

They also improve security and accountability, Anna says.

“This is something we’ve been working toward for the past 20 years so it’s exciting to see it all come together and we are looking forward to seeing how this new technology will improve patient care at the new RAH,” she says.

The new RAH is SA’s only public hospital to welcome a digital system that keeps track of thousands of medical instruments.

The three-day patient move from the old RAH to the new hospital began on September 4.

The new RAH’s Emergency Department was officially opened at 7am on September 5.

Premier Jay Weatherill labelled the new hospital’s opening as a “landmark occasion for all South Australians”.

Press play on the video below to watch the transformation of the RAH.

This month’s I Choose SA for Industries stories are made possible by sponsor, the University of South Australia.

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Bikers cruise for a cause

By Melissa Keogh

The rumble of dozens of motorcycles will be heard at the Royal Adelaide Show on Sunday (September 10) when dozens of Murrayland bikers hit the bitumen for the Ride Against Suicide.

Up to 100 bikers will take part in the 190km cruise in aim of raising awareness of suicide and the ripple affect it has on loved ones.

Coinciding with World Suicide Prevention Day 2017, riders will start their engines at Mannum before cruising up to Nuriootpa and Two Wells and descending on Adelaide.

In its second year, the Ride Against Suicide was instigated by Palmer woman Janet Kuys, who lost her son, Aaron, to suicide 10 years ago.

Murraylands woman Janet Kuys founded Silent Ripples in 2010.

Murraylands woman Janet Kuys founded Silent Ripples in 2010.

“My son was in a good job, he was a serving member of the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), and everything was going alright,” she says.

“It really has destroyed our family.”

But from tragedy sparked resilience and a determination to break down stigma.

Janet set out to establish a bereavement group in Murray Bridge so locals could reach out for support during times of loss.

Silent Ripples began with just three members, but by the second meeting it grew to half-a-dozen and now the group has a solid eight attendees who meet fortnightly.

Janet says the only way to break down the stigma of suicide and to deal with grief is to simply talk about it.

Janet Kuys of Silent Ripples, left, Ebony Gill from Headspace, and Dominique Tragos of Talk Out Loud at the SA Suicide Prevention Network stand in the Jubilee Pavilion at this year's Royal Adelaide Show.

Janet Kuys of Silent Ripples, left, Ebony Gill from Headspace, and Dominique Tragos of Talk Out Loud at the SA Suicide Prevention Network stand in the Jubilee Pavilion at this year’s Royal Adelaide Show.

“Our group is somewhere to talk without any fear of judgement … there’s very little nowadays that you could say that we haven’t heard,” she says.

“We feel that if we just start saying the word ‘suicide’ itself then people will get used to hearing it.”

Janet says Silent Ripples has been a safe-place of support for families as far as Karoonda and the Riverland.

As a life member of the Royal Adelaide Show, she saw the showground as a perfect place to help spread the word.

Last year marked the inaugural Ride Against Suicide with 40 bikes and 20 cyclists taking part in the event which coincided with R U OK? Day.

Leather and loud exhausts marked the inaugural Ride Against Suicide in 2016.

Leather and loud exhausts marked the inaugural Ride Against Suicide in 2016.

The Ride Against Suicide is organised with the help of the Royal Adelaide Show, R U OK?, The Longriders Christian Motorcycle Club, Skylight, SA Health and SA Suicide Prevention Networks.

The ride will set off from the Mannum RSL at 9am, but bikers can choose to join the convoy from either Nuriootpa or Two Wells.

The bikers will roar into the showground and gather at the main arena from about 2.30pm.

State Mental Health and Substance Abuse Minister Leesa Vlahos will make a speech at about 3pm.

If you or someone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit the Lifeline website.

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Brick+Mortar: lifting Adelaide’s art and design scene

By Melissa Keogh

Art and politics are rarely two sectors that go hand in hand, but creative entrepreneur Elizabeth Donaldson has thrived in both.

The former diplomat is the founder of South Australia’s first creative multifunctional venue, Brick+Mortar Creative, which in its two years has provided a launch pad for many of the state’s most promising artists.

Despite having a 10-year background working with Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra and Japan, and then as a diplomat with Cabinet Office in Adelaide, Elizabeth has always had a creative itch.

“I had always wanted to do something entrepreneurial but it took me a while to find the right project,” she says.

“In the end, I chose to focus on elements that I had consistently been drawn to outside my work life (design, art and interesting spaces) but had never felt qualified to be involved with in a professional sense.”

Brick+Mortar director Elizabeth Donaldson created the multifaceted space to allow creatives to thrive in their industry.

Brick+Mortar director Elizabeth Donaldson created the multifaceted space to allow creatives to thrive in their industry. PHOTO: Sam Dickinson.

Elizabeth launched Brick+Mortar in 2015, a multifaceted space in Norwood that provides a retail space for artists including painters, ceramicists, jewellery makers and sewers.

The space also comprises a café, a ‘meet the maker’ space for creatives to interact with clients and private co-working studios for graphic designers, architects and photographers.

Currently Brick+Mortar represents 60 artists (55 of them South Australian).

To date it has hosted 161 workshops involving 68 artists and attracting 3000 participants.

Elizabeth says she was inspired to establish a practice that “improved the odds” for artists and designers by taking care of the common obstacles met when launching a small start-up or retail space.

“I felt many start-up problems could be addressed through a multifunctional space that provided an umbrella of marketing and business support, and managed the risk and overheads of a retail venue,” she says.

“Including a café, co-working space and workshops would draw a customer base and co-locating artists would build a foundation community quickly.”

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Brick+Mortar comprises meeting and workshops rooms and co-working spaces for emerging or established local artists. PHOTO: Sarah & Laura Design.

Elizabeth says Adelaide’s strong creative scene, festival offerings and its small, connected population made it the perfect place to launch the hybrid space.

“Set up costs are lower compared to larger cities,” she says.

“Rent, transport, rates, publicity and parking are all generally lower for locations with equivalent traffic and exposure.”

A number of success stories have been born from Brick+Mortar, including local milliner SyIvy Earl who went on to feature in Vogue Australia and some of the country’s top stores.

Elizabeth is also proud of her ‘developed from scratch’ approach to the self-sustainable and commercially viable creative hub, which receives no government funding.

What is creativity on an empty stomach! Brick+Mortar is also home to a café, using local produce and locally roasted coffee. PHOTO: Sarah & Laura Design.

What is creativity on an empty stomach! Brick+Mortar is also home to a café, using local produce and locally roasted coffee. PHOTO: Sarah & Laura Design.

In her opinion, South Australia’s craft industry is growing in its impact on the economy and its influence on people’s buying habits.

“People are more and more willing to directly support their local economy by buying local,” she says.

“They are increasingly interested in the sustainability aspect of consumption, preferring to buy quality goods that are expertly built to last.”

Despite being surrounded by creative juices everyday, Elizabeth confesses she’s “not remotely talented in actually creating any kind of art”.

However, she hopes it might one day “rub off on me through osmosis!”

Adelaide hair salon cuts out gender inequality

By Melissa Keogh

A woman with a pixie hair cut walks into a hair salon and how much does she pay?

Well, chances are she’ll pay more for a wash, cut and style than her short-tressed male counterpart, and an Adelaide hair studio has had enough.

FÖN SALÖN on King William Road, Unley, says it’s the city’s first gender neutral salon, meaning hair cut prices are dependant on the time spent completing the service and the technical difficulty involved.

Its equal price list means a female with a buzz cut will pay the same as a short-haired man, while the same goes for a long-locked man who wants a typically more time consuming blow dry and style.

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FÖN SALON  stylist Brady Paterson and owner Alex Totani.

Adelaide has a long history of gender equality milestones, including being home to Australia’s first and the world’s second university to allow women to study academic courses.

South Australia was also the first Australian state to allow women to vote, while it was also home to the country’s first female judge.

Despite the progressions over past decades, FÖN SALÖN owner Alex Totani believes Australia’s hairdressing industry is falling behind in gender equality.

“The hairdressing industry is segregating males and females and we aren’t moving forward,” she says.

“There’s a gap in the industry and it’s not fair.”

Alex says she was inspired to introduce the gender-neutral price list after paying nearly $100 for a hair cut at an interstate salon despite having short hair.

“Because I was a female I was still charged a female price even though I had a buzz cut,” she says.

Alex says clients have responded positively to the concept.

FÖN SALÖN is Adelaide's first hair studio to introduce a gender-neutral price list.

FÖN SALÖN is Adelaide’s first hair studio to introduce a gender-neutral price list.

“Females love it and the guys respond really well, they are happy to pay it (if they have long hair) because they are getting a good hair cut and service,” she says.

“Pixie cuts are all I’m doing right now.

“It’s so empowering that women aren’t as worried about having long hair.”

FÖN SALÖN was established two years ago and is inspired by the arts, culture and architecture of Berlin, Germany, where Alex spent time as a freelance hairdresser.

In 2015 FÖN (which means hairdryer in German) won the Design Hair Expo’s Best Salon Design Award.

FÖN also supports local artists who hang their artwork on the walls and this month Adelaide artist Charli-Anne’s custom pieces can be spotted at the salon as part of the SALA Festival.

Barossa businesses have each other’s backs

By Melissa Keogh

Six Barossa Valley businesses have combined forces to produce a campaign that aims to boost regional pride and local economic development.

Beautiful flowers, scrumptious food and a homestead once used as the set for beloved Aussie TV drama McLeod’s Daughters are just a few of the ingredients used in the four-minute promotional film clip which officially launches in September.

The campaign features Barossa Styling and Events, Kingsford Homestead, Matthew Dwyer Studio, Viva the Flower Store, Winestains, and Zoe Campbell Photography and Design.

Kingsford Homestead offers five-star luxury accommodation.

Kingsford Homestead, used as the set for McLeod’s Daughters, offers five-star luxury accommodation.

It shows each business arranging their products – the florist with her foliage, Winestains with its cheeseboards crafted from wine barrels – before settling down to share a feast at the Kingsford Homestead.

Winestains creative director Kristal Spencer is spearheading the campaign, which she says was inspired by Totally Locally.

Totally Locally is a social enterprise movement that allows local businesses to share branding and marketing tools to spread the importance of shopping locally to boost the economy.

“I felt it would be a great way to showcase what each business does while highlighting our great region and ideally showing the local and wider community what we’re capable of,” Kristal says.

“It can be a bit of a hard slug for small businesses, so having this collaborative approach can help each other out as well as enhance the region.”

Bethany Hannay from Viva the Flower Store.

Bethany Hannay from Viva the Flower Store.

The video and imagery will be published on each business’ website and social media channels.

Kristal says the collaborative approach allows the businesses to share the limelight instead of just one business showcasing its own products and services.

“The end goal would be to bring each business front of mind to our audiences, showing what we’re capable of and highlighting each of our skills and expertise,” she says.

“We all love where we live and (are) proud to showcase our beautiful region and the many thriving businesses developed within it.”

Chelsea Honner from Barossa Styling + Events.

Chelsea Honner from Barossa Styling + Events.

Williamstown photographer Matthew Dwyer donated his time and skills to shoot the campaign, a show of generosity Kristal says is typical of the Barossa Valley community.

“I’ve always felt collaboration is key in small business and you see many amazing businesses taking a step towards this,” she says.

“I love seeing new ways that businesses can look to work together.

“This was just one idea I hope will move forward into many more.”

Watch the video below.

Heading to the Barossa Valley this weekend? Check out our top five picks for the Barossa Gourmet Weekend – an event that attracts thousands of foodies and wine lovers to the region every year.

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Adelaide DJ bringing old school back

By Melissa Keogh

South Australian DJ and electronics technician Medhi El-Aquil’s old school-inspired DJ mixers are in high demand from sound appreciators worldwide.

From his workshop in Blackwood, the English-born craftsman manufactures analogue rotary mixers bought by DJs and nightlife venue owners in Paris, New York and London.

His company Condesa Electronics is well-known by disc jockeys, but also those who want to simply reconnect with the high quality sound only a handcrafted mixer can bring.

Rotary mixers – popular in the days of vinyl records – have analogue volume unit (VU) meters, circular controls and are minimal in their design.

Medhi with his rotary mixers which are in hot demand by DJs and sound appreciators across the world.

Medhi with his rotary mixers which are in hot demand by DJs and sound appreciators around the world.

Medhi says rotary mixers – which are used to transition from one song to another and to control sound output – offer more character and soul than mass-marketed, digital equipment.

“I think there’s a problem in the industry in that most people think that what is new and digital is better sounding, but that’s a misconception,” he says.

“Digital mixers can be more flexible and do more than the rotary mixer, but the quality is not as good.

“So there’s a trade-off … a rotary mixer isn’t as perfect and clinical as a digital mixer, but it’s got more character and there’s something special about it.”

Raised in the UK in the 1970s and ‘80s, Medhi was always tinkering with audio and recording equipment.

He left school at the age of 16 to undertake an electronics apprenticeship that mainly focused on security systems.

“There was a little bit of an audio component in it and I was always interested in that side of things,” he says.

Medhi has also DJ’ed at nightclubs on the Spanish party island of Ibiza.

Fourteen years ago he relocated from London to Adelaide with wife Kerrie, whose parents are Australian.

Medhi says the pair was drawn to Adelaide to be closer to family, as well as the lower cost of living and laid back lifestyle.

“The cost of living here is cheaper, so there’s not as much pressure to be working longer hours and I’m never stuck in traffic,” he says.

“All of these reasons are why I’m here.”

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Condesa Electronics mixers take 12-16 weeks to construct.

Six years ago Medhi completed the construction of his first rotary mixer, taking him one-and-a-half years.

It went to a Melbourne buyer before a second order came in, followed by a third and before long Condesa Electronics was born.

Medhi’s mixers are bought by clubs and sound studios in Scotland, the UK, America, Japan, Korea and Mexico, as well as popular musicians such as electronic duo Disclosure.

“They seem to be much more of a personal thing sold to people who appreciate them,” he says.

“We put hours and hours into making them. They are built to last decades.”

Condesa Electronics has a team of four staff who help construct the equipment, made from steel and sustainably-sourced wood – either Tasmanian oak or Australian blackwood.

Medhi can also be found filling eardrums with beats at popular Adelaide CBD nightspots Udaberri and Bank Street Social.

He hopes appreciation of classic, old school music gear will live forever.

“When we started making the mixers, they weren’t really a trend, but it’s actually grown in popularity,” he says.

“I intend to keep making them as long as there’s demand and I hope there will be.”

Conquering the world of couture

By Melissa Keogh

Adelaide fashion designer Paul Vasileff was just 11 when he stitched his first gown – a light purple, bias-cut satin frock inspired by a picture in a magazine.

Fast forward 16 years and the couture king, who heads Adelaide high end dress label Paolo Sebastian, has reached a level of success most fashionistas would only dream of achieving.

Despite Paolo Sebastian boutiques existing in New York, Singapore and Shanghai, as well as a clientele list featuring the likes of Kim Kardashian, Paul says Adelaide will always be home.

“It still shocks me when people ask me ‘are you planning to move?’ he says.

“We aren’t going anywhere. I’m in Sydney for two days and I can’t wait to get home because I love it here.

“We show in Paris and Paris is amazing, but nothing is home except for Adelaide.”

Dreams and fairytales inspire Paul’s whimsical and romantic bridal and special event gowns that feature on runways across the globe.

The handmade gowns are renowned for their feminine silhouettes, expert tailoring and princess-like lace and embellishments.

Each dress begins with a sketch before the design is handcrafted by Paul and his team of dressmakers at his Gouger Street atelier.

“I’ve always been inspired by story books, fairytales and old Hollywood since I was a kid,” he says.

“For me, fashion should offer a sense of a dream for the client. When you put on a dress you should be transported into the highest version of yourself.”

Paul Vasileff at the Paolo Sebastian headquarters on Gouger Street, Adelaide.

Paul Vasileff at the Paolo Sebastian headquarters on Gouger Street, Adelaide.

Paul fell in love with the needle and thread as a teenager, taking sewing lessons and learning techniques from his Italian grandmother.

In 2007, the then 17-year-old launched the first Paolo Sebastian collection with 63 garments sewn with a domestic sewing machine in his parents’ living room.

Before long it was clear the young designer was destined for the world of couture when he travelled to Milan in 2010 to study at world-renowned design house Istituto Europeo di Design.

“I did that when I was 19 and that was a really hard experience for me because I was quickly removed from my family and my friends and everyone who had ever supported me and what I loved,” he says.

“I kind of realised how lucky we are here in Adelaide.

“So I thought I’m going to finish my study, I’m going to take what I’ve learnt here, bring it back to Adelaide and implement it in Adelaide so that we can benefit from it.”

With the power of social media and word of mouth among brides who fell in love with his gowns, the Paolo Sebastian team has grown to 18 staff.

In 2014 Paul received his first big nod from Hollywood, after becoming the first Australian designer to dress a celebrity for the Oscars red carpet.

In 2016 he was the first South Australian designer to showcase in Paris with his couture collection Gilded Wings.

In January 2017, Paul received the ultimate pat-on-the-back when he was named Young Australian of the Year.

Despite these highlights, Paul says he often faced doubt about his ability to run a successful couture label outside of a fashion capital.

People told him Adelaide wasn’t the place to make his fashion mark and that he must move elsewhere.

But with the support of friends, family and “the whole state”, Paolo Sebastian gowns hang in closets worldwide from Australia to the Middle East.

“When I first started it was hard and a lot of people said to me, ‘you’re not going to be able to do this, you’re going to have to move or you’re going to have to work with someone else, your dream is just not possible’,” he says.

“I’ve had the whole state behind me since day one. The success of Paolo Sebastian isn’t just mine.

“We’re only successful because of South Australia.”

Carrapateena mine to create 1000 jobs for regional South Australia

By Melissa Keogh

A jobs boost is set to be delivered to regional South Australia following OZ Minerals’ decision to green-light Australia’s largest undeveloped copper project.

The Adelaide-based mining company announced board approval of a $916m investment in the Carrapateena mine, which will create 1000 jobs during construction.

The copper-gold project will take place about 160km north of Port Augusta and is set to become the state’s second biggest copper mine after Olympic Dam.

Carrapateena is expected to begin producing copper by late 2019 and OZ Minerals is predicting an output of more than 65,000 tonnes a year.

It’s also predicting an annual production of 67,000 ounces of gold.

Carrapateena’s copper concentrate is expected to be among the highest grade on world markets, while production costs are expected to be among the lowest.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill says the board approval is another show of confidence in the State’s economy, following recent announcements including the Tesla giant battery and Port Augusta’s solar thermal power plant.

“This copper project showcases the importance of the resources sector to the South Australian economy with investment in Carrapateena creating local jobs, infrastructure and opportunities for Aboriginal participation,” he says.

“OZ Minerals should also be applauded for the way in which it has partnered with the Kokatha people to ensure that the traditional landowners also benefit from this major investment.”

Construction began in November 2016 on the ‘Tjati Decline’ a 7500m long, 600m deep tunnel that provides access to the copper-gold deposit.

The opening of the Tjati Decline attracted much media attention in November 2016. PHOTO: OZ Minerals.

The opening of the Tjati Decline attracted much media attention in November 2016. PHOTO: OZ Minerals.

Tjati is an Aboriginal name for a gecko that lives in the region.

The SA Government funded 50% of the original drilling program.

Approval has already been granted under the Mining Act for an accommodation village and airstrip.

The mineral lease application is still under assessment by the State and Federal governments.

Main photo: Oz Minerals CEO Andrew Cole, left, Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Chris Larkin and SA Premier Jay Weatherill at the Carrapateena site last year. Image supplied by OZ Minerals.

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