High Country Times
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
edit.mcourier@nemedia.com.au
$2.00 inc GST
mansfieldcourier.com.au
Budget time Page 5
Pages 14 & 15
Education Week
LEADING THE CHARGE
MANSFIELD Athletics stalwart David Mims sets off in the Proactive Tax Half Marathon on Sunday as part of the fourth annual Mansfield Marathon. With more than 600 competitors across five distances and over $10,000 raised for women’s cancer research and local groups, the volunteer-run event was a triumph for the town. Full results and event highlights in Sport. PHOTO: Clive Dickerson
Tail of two towns By MIKE SMITH
THE farmers of Mansfield Shire have long resorted to silent gestures when they feel no one is listening. When frustration mounts and words fail, they sometimes turn to striking acts that deliver a clear message: listen. One such message appeared on Sunday, 4 May 2025, at the intersection of the Midland Highway and the Midland Link, near the Barjarg Fire Station. With the region in the midst of a total power blackout, passers-by reported seeing a large black dog strung from a tree - its body suspend-
Pages 31-39
As stock losses mount, a farmer’s protest draws concern from townsfolk and conservationists
ed by its tail and back legs. Some viewed it as a grim warning. Others called it grotesque. Conservationists soon joined the outcry, citing new research suggesting many wild dogs are actually pure dingoes. For generations, farmers in the region have displayed fox carcasses on fences - a rural tradition dating back to old estate gamekeeping in Britain. Some say it serves as a warning to neighbours that predators are active.
Others believe it was a way to show landowners what the keeper had culled. There’s also the contested idea that the sight and smell of the dead fox might deter others. But a dog is not a fox. And in 2025, the distinction carries emotional weight. To some residents, the incident crossed a line. “You could clearly see a huge black dog hanging by its tail and back legs from the tree at the intersection,”
said one local, who did not wish to be named. “I understand that farmers need to protect their livestock, but the way it was showcased was disgusting.” A second eyewitness echoed the concern. “I believe it’s cruel,” they said. “People don’t need to be hanging animals in clear view of the road. Shooting them is one thing - this is something else.” ■ Continued page 2
Eagles bounce back
PLUS FREE
STIHL MS 211 CHAINSAW VALUED AT $649 *While stocks last*
Sport
2