Tag / Port Augusta

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Living colours inspire Wilmington fashion designer

From hues of toffee, brown and gold that add a softness to the harsh dry of the Flinders Ranges to the brilliant blues of the Spencer Gulf, designer Nikki Atkinson creates with inspiration from her ‘backyard’.

From the family property in the Flinders Ranges and nearby Wilmington to Port Augusta, where she has opened a boutique selling her own Liv Sienne designs and fashion from other Australian designers, Nikki says it is easy to see beauty in even the harshest conditions.

“My inspiration comes currently from the drought conditions and the colours, I draw so much from the environment around me,” she says.

Nikki first launched into design and production after studying at Marleston TAFE, going on to co-own the successful Betrothed bridal boutique in Adelaide at just 26-years-old.

One of Nikki Atkinson’s Liv Sienne bridal creations.

After eight years, love lured Nikki back to the country, when she married husband Dallas and moved to Wilmington in the Mid North. She continued made-to-measure couture and design from home for a number of years with her young children often playing at her feet while she sewed.

As a farmer’s wife and mother of three, Nikki says her passion for the fashion and design industry was bubbling away under the surface and in 2013 she decided to launch her Liv Sienne label and eventually a store in nearby Port Augusta.

It has not been easy, but Nikki has been determined to make it work and share her passion for design and creating, forever fortunate for what her ‘home’ brings to her work.

Liv Sienne designer and creator Nikki Atkinson at home on her family’s Flinders Ranges property.

“The farm is my zen place – to go home at night and see the wildlife and hear the kookaburras really is very special, although I don’t slow down nearly enough to appreciate it at times,” she says.

“Life is busy, but I really needed some of me back. Designing and fashion is ‘me’ and so we make it work.

“When we’re shearing or crutching on the property, I have meals to prep before the kids go off to school, and it’s crazy and it’s busy but we make it work.”

As a woolgrower and also a farmer’s daughter who grew up on a grain, cattle and sheep farm at Buckleboo on Eyre Peninsula, wool and natural fibres have been an obvious choice for Nikki, who is fiercely supportive of Australian-made products.

“I’m very passionate about wool – it’s such an easy fibre to work with,” she says. “It is amazing, it’s pliable, you can do anything with it. It’s a long way from the scratchy, itchy fibre people associated with wool before we really discovered the beauty and versatility of fine wool.

One of Nikki Atkinson’s Liv Sienne designs, photographed in the Flinders Ranges by Meridee Groves Photography.

“I probably shouldn’t be so emotionally attached to Australian-made – it is more expensive to create and produce in Australia – but if we don’t, we lose the skills of being able to use a sewing machine, thread a needle and pattern making, and I’m passionate about keeping those skills.”

Nikki’s return to the fashion industry has been well-supported, her designs popping up at country race meets, weddings, formals and even as far as New York where she was asked to design the “perfect dress” for DeVoe magazine’s Full Figured Fashion Week.

Having concentrated the last 12 months on developing the Liv Sienne brand and storefront in Port Augusta, Nikki is now ready to launch back into her real passion for design.

“This is going to be a big year, I’m really excited for what lies ahead,” she adds.

Feature image by Meridee Groves Photography.

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by brandsa2018

Port Augusta’s desert botanic garden flourishes with volunteer spirit

The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden attracted more than 100,000 visitors last financial year and is helping to reinvent Port Augusta as the “arid garden city”.

The desert botanic garden, which opened in 1996, is regarded as Port Augusta’s top tourism destination and earlier this year was ranked the country’s best regional botanic garden by Australian Geographic magazine.

The 250ha space is owned by the Port Augusta Council, which recorded almost 107,000 visitors to the garden in 2017/18.

The council says the garden’s success is down to the efforts the Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, a volunteer group which helps maintain the plants, assists in the running of the onsite nursery, lead guided tours and raise funds.

The volunteer group has raised more than $1m for the garden, while voluntary labour over the past four years is valued at more than $4m.

The group says visitors to the garden contribute $18m to the Port Augusta community, a figure based on research carried out by Tourism Research Australia.

Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden president John Zwar OAM says the garden is a place for research, serenity and exploration. Photo: ABC Port Pirie.

Friends president John Zwar OAM came up with the concept for an arid botanic garden for Port Augusta in 1981, forming the Friends group in 1994 before the garden was finally opened in 1996.

Located on the shores of the Upper Spencer Gulf and offering stunning views of the Flinders Ranges, the garden features significant areas of natural arid zone vegetation as well as coastal vegetation.

Many of the plant collections feature rare plant species in sections dedicated to particular regions of Australia including the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Central Ranges, Gawler region, and Great Victoria Desert.

John says the garden’s popularity has helped raise the image of Port Augusta, which has faced recent struggles with the closure of the Alinta power plant.

Volunteers put in hours every day to maintain the garden and many of its operations, including the nursery.

“It’s really helped raise the image of the town and people are calling Port Augusta the arid garden city now, whereas it didn’t have this image before,” John says.

“The place, which has gone from being flat for a year or so, has really started to pick up again and I’m hopeful that the garden is safe.

“We now have the world’s largest solar thermal power station going in north of Port Augusta and I think there are another five wind, solar and pumped hydro (projects) going in.

“Port Augusta is a great place to live and there are a lot of positive things about it; it’s a great location near the Flinders, near the sea, and right on the doorstep of the outback.

“Loads of tourists and travellers are passing through and the garden has a captive audience because a national highway – the Stuart Highway – passes right through.

“It’s a really great place to showcase arid zone vegetation and I think tourists really appreciate it.”

Friends of AALBG plant the first tree in 1989. Friends president Dr Gordon Paine, left, Dr Reg Sprigg of Arkaroola, Ian Gilfillan MP, and Brian Powell AM (standing). Photo courtesy of John Zwar.

John says the Friends group has about 400 members including locals and people from around the country and overseas.

About 30 people regularly volunteer on site, he says.

“Without the support of the volunteers, I’m sure the garden wouldn’t have eventuated in the first place and it wouldn’t keep running like it is at present,” John says.

About 160 species of birds, including rare species, can be spotted in the garden and two birdhides provide the perfect place for birdwatchers to observe quietly.

The garden is also home to an award-winning AridSmart section which shows visitors how to use water wise gardening techniques at home.

The Arid Explorers Garden offers a children’s nature play area with a shelter shed, logs, rocks, a dry creek bed and red sand pit.

The Blue Bush Café overlooks stunning scenery. Photo courtesy of AALBG.

Travel and restaurant company TripAdvisor rates the garden’s Blue Bush Café as the second-best restaurant in Port Augusta. Dishes use native produce including lemon myrtle and quandongs.

The garden is also an important place for research with students and researchers conducting studies into the heat tolerance of various arid zone plants.

The Port Augusta Council’s director of corporate and community services, Anne O’Reilly, says the garden is a significant benefit for the regional centre.

She says the Friends group members are valued and passionate ambassadors in the community.

“The garden would not be the success that it is today without the support of the Friends,” Anne says.

The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden is at 144 Stuart Highway, Port Augusta, and is open daily from 7.30am to sunset.

Children explore the Arid Explorers Garden. Photo courtesy of AALBG.

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Regional business behind whopper of a crane headed for Upper Spencer Gulf

Port Augusta-based business Max Cranes is preparing to welcome the largest telescopic crane in the southern hemisphere to its fleet later this year.

The $10m telescopic mobile crane has a capacity of 1200 tonnes and will allow the Upper Spencer Gulf business to expand its capabilities in construction and maintenance of wind towers across the country.

It’ll also be used for construction and heavy lifting activities throughout markets that require specialist heavy lifting.

Managing director Mark Kuhn co-founded Max Cranes in 2002 and says the business has been looking to secure the German-made Liebherr all terrain crane for a number of years.

He says the specialised piece of equipment is the strongest of its kind on the market and has the longest telescopic boom in the world at 100m.

The 1200 tonne crane is the largest in the southern hemisphere.

“The business has spent a lot of time on the selection of the best type of crane to bring into the country that will be a problem solver to all market sectors,” Mark says.

“It has a number of benefits that will set the business apart from the rest. The crane, albeit huge, is efficient and economical in its ability to mobilise/demobilise to project sites and is very agile and flexible on site.”

The new crane, planned to be in operation in November 2018, will be the latest achievement for the leading Upper Spencer Gulf business that has been helping workers reach the heights of our tallest regional infrastructure projects.

The Federal Government supported the acquisition through its Regional Jobs and Investment Package.

“There has been an upward growth curve in our workforce over the past 12–18 months as the infrastructure, power and energy, mining, oil and gas and other influencing markets have started to recover from the downturn of 2014/15,” Mark says.

“We’re looking to further bolster our position in the Upper Spencer Gulf region with the ever-expanding renewable markets, the commitment of GFG Alliance to the Whyalla Steelworks and the expansion of surrounding mining and infrastructure projects within the region.

“Max Cranes is also focused on strengthening our position within the Adelaide market, specifically looking to find solutions to clients in all market sectors.”

Max Cranes employs more than 110 people across its head office at Port Augusta and additional depots at Whyalla, Port Pirie, Moomba and Adelaide.

Its fleet of 38 all terrain cranes range from 15–500 tonne machines. The business also supplies scissor lifts, knuckle booms, and heavy haulage transport services.

All terrain cranes are able to navigate harsh or uneven roads and have greater onsite mobility in workspaces.

Max Cranes is currently the sole crane provider at the Port Pirie Nyrstar Lead Smelter which has employed hundreds of people over the years and is undergoing redevelopment.

Other Max Cranes clients include Santos, Liberty OneSteel, BHP Billiton, Enerven/SA Power Networks, and constructors to AGL, however, its presence on wind farms is set to grow further with South Australia’s burgeoning renewable energy sector.

Max Cranes’ 400 tonne and 500 tonne cranes are used in the maintenance of wind towers, to lift off the rotor – the three blades and hub – and allowing a changeover of gearboxes and other equipment on the turbine.

A Max Crane lifts the rotor off a wind tower.

Mark says the acquisition of the new 1200 tonne crane will allow for future maintenance of the heavier and taller towers built today.

He established Max Cranes with a business partner in 2002 after noticing a gap in the marketplace for crane, transport and access equipment hire in regional SA.

The business began with a fleet of small cranes run out of a small transportable office off the Augusta Highway.

Now the head office is a state-of-the-art building in the same location, with a large maintenance workshop, wash-down bays, a storage shed and staff facilities.

Mark says the challenges of regional SA include the harsh climate, which can reach temperatures of up to 50C in some places.

“But it can change at a moment’s notice to torrential rain, severe winds and everything in between,” he says.

“Being highly reactive to requirements 24/7 is a large part of why we are recognised as experts for working in these remote locations.

“We are operationally prepared, highly experienced and have the systems in place to ensure our staff and client team are safe at all times.”

Max Cranes also runs a dedicated trainee scheme, supporting young apprentices who often go on to be long-term employees and take on roles such as riggers and crane operators.

Mark says the Upper Spencer Gulf has always been an encouraging place to run a business.

“The regions offer experienced, loyal and dedicated people,” he says.

“This in turn has given us the ability to form solid and lengthy relationships with key customers over time.

“South Australians support South Australian – Max Crane is no different.”

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by brandsa2018

How the Port Augusta community helped repower the town with solar

Port Augusta’s Lisa Lumsden was in the supermarket when news broke of the town securing a $650m solar thermal power plant – the biggest of its kind in the world.

The announcement of SolarRerserve’s Aurora Solar Energy Project came with the promise of 650 construction jobs, 50 ongoing positions and delivered an immediate boost in town prosperity.

“Everybody was congratulating one another,” says Lisa, a local councillor and former Repower Port Augusta chairperson.

“The community attitude shifted because we had a new future coming.”

The news of the 150mW solar thermal power plant came in August 2017, more than a year after Port Augusta’s northern coal-fired power station closed, marking the end of an era.

After a five-year push from community advocacy group Repower Port Augusta for a switch from coal to solar, the town was on track to becoming a renewable energy powerhouse.

The Repower Port Augusta Group with Premier Jay Weatherill, Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis and SolarReserve CEO Kevin Smith during a tour of the community.

The Aurora Solar Energy Project, located 30km north of Port Augusta, incorporates eight hours (1100mW hours) of storage.

Construction is expected to start in the first quarter of 2018 and be completed by 2020.

It will involve a field of mirrors focusing sunlight onto a receiver at the top of a tower – the tallest of its kind in the world.

PHOTO: SolarReserve.

Liquid salt is pumped through the receiver where it’s heated to 565C before the salt is used to generate steam, drive a single turbine and generate electricity.

It’s designed to store between eight and 10 hours of energy, meaning it can operate when the sun is not shining.

Lisa says its widely recognised that the persistence and grit of the Repower Port Augusta Group helped secure the project.

The group advocated with both the Federal and State governments, held community forums with energy experts and worked with the local council, unions, businesses and environment groups nationwide.

The tower is the tallest of its kind in the world. PHOTO: SolarReserve.

“We were able to create a network of people around Australia to lobby for our town,” Lisa says.

“We want long-term jobs and we know that the coal-fired power station was going to close and that it wasn’t good for the environment.

“Our volunteers were putting in enormous hours and many sacrifices were going on behind the scenes.”

The Aurora Solar Energy Project is one of a handful of renewable energy projects in Port Augusta and expected to increase competition and lower power prices.

“The solar thermal plant will be the jewel in the crown but there are seven other projects under construction,” Lisa says.

“What we’ve got is quite incredible and the rest of the world will be watching.”

Current Repower Port Augusta chairperson Gary Rowbottom is a former Alinta Energy employee, having worked at the coal-fired power station for 17 years.

Repower Port Augusta chairperson Gary Rowbottom at a solar celebration event in September.

He watched the sun set on the Northern Power Station in 2016 but says the move away from coal was “crucial”.

“The cost of conventional (power) generation was going up, the cost of concentrating solar thermal down, and the convergenace of those relative costs reached a point where the gap was not much – with the benefit of no emissions and a reasonable number of jobs,” Gary says.

“I pushed the jobs line pretty hard myself, as that was a differentiating point from other forms of renewable energy, as was, in terms of scale, the amount of storage (mW hours/day) that concentrating solar thermal could provide.”

“There is no better place to build the solar thermal power plant than Port Augusta.”

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by brandsa2018

Solar thermal power plant secured for Port Augusta

By Andrew Spence

A 150MW solar thermal power plant will be built in South Australia by global company SolarReserve.

The Aurora Solar Energy Project located in Port Augusta, about 300km north of Adelaide, will incorporate eight hours of storage or 1100 megawatts-hours, allowing it to operate like a conventional coal or gas power station.

The $650m plant – the biggest of its kind in the world – will have a capacity of about 135MW under normal operating conditions with the ability to increase that output in favourable conditions.

It will be situated about 150km northwest of Jamestown, where Elon Musk will install the world’s largest Lithium-ion battery at Hornsdale Wind Farm.

The project will create create 650 local jobs during construction and 50 ongoing positions.

Aurora will deliver 495 gigawatt-hours of power annually – providing fully dispatchable baseload electricity to the network.

The plant will go ahead after SolarReserve was awarded a contract with the SA Government.

In September 2016 the State Government launched a tender process to procure 75 per cent of its long-term power supply in order to attract a new competitor into the electricity market, increasing competition and putting downward pressure on power prices.

The offer from SolarReserve was the lowest-cost option of the shortlisted bids with the Government paying no more than $78/MWh.

SolarReserve CEO Kevin Smith says energy storage technology was an excellent fit for the SA electricity system and would create jobs and stimulate long-term economic development.

“Aurora will provide much needed capacity and firm energy delivery into the South Australian market to reduce price volatility,” he says.

SolarReserve will establish an Australian headquarters in Adelaide by the end of the year with construction of the Aurora plant on a vast pastoral station, pictured below, about 30km north of Port Augusta.

Blog770pxSolar_power_plant_Aurora_site

The project will use thousands of mirrors (heliostats) to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a central receiver on top of a tower.

The process heats molten salt, pumped to the top of the tower and flowing through the receiver, to 565 degrees Celsius.

The molten salt provides a stored heat source that is used to generate steam to drive a single turbine that generates electricity.

The facility can generate power at full load for up to eight hours after sunset.

The project is a big win for the Port Augusta community, which is still recovering from the closure of a major coal-fired power station in the town last year.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill says the Port Augusta story was a stark example of the transition of the SA economy.

“The Aurora Solar Energy Project will enhance South Australia’s reputation as a leader in clean, cheap renewable energy,” he says.

“This is a terrific result for the people of Port Augusta who have campaigned hard to deliver this outcome for their community.”

Australian Solar Council and Energy Storage Council chief executive John Grimes says the project is a huge win for SA, which has faced a difficult 12-months of power outages and electricity price increases.

“Solar thermal in Port Augusta means jobs for regional South Australia. It means zero emissions baseload power,” he says.