Army assistance with NSW locust plague DPR/TV/1578

The Army's 161 Reconnaissance Flight, based at Oakey in Queensland, has been assisting the NSW Pastoral Protection Board for the past two weeks with air surveys to locate locusts which have infested two-thirds of New South Wales. All told, the Aviation flight will be assisting for six to eight weeks with two Cessna fixed wing aircraft and two helicopters. The area of operations is divided into three sectors, centred on the Broken Hill, Narromine and Hay districts of central NSW. For the past two weeks, the Army has been using the two Sioux light helicopters in the Narromine-Tottenham area. The helicopters have proved to be the ideal method of searching likely locust breeding areas. The search is conducted in a grid pattern and a member of the Pastoral Protection Board accompanies the pilot on these sorties. They fly between 50-100 feet above the ground and when a locust band is spotted, the helicopter hovers 3 feet above the swarm to allow the ranger to observe the locusts closely. The locusts are at present in the "hopper" stage, in an advance state of development. As yet, they are not airborne so this allows the rangers to plot the areas of infestation on a master map and proceed with spraying the locusts before they start to fly. Mr Don Kennedy, the Sydney representative of the Pastoral Protection Board, is the overall supervisor and the locust survey is controlled by radio links to the field officers from the Narromine Airstrip. The plague is the worst since 1969, and if not controlled, could reach the disastrous proportions of the 1930 plague. Mr Ron Hosie, the Pastoral Protection Board's Dubbo representative said: "so far, the operation is proceeding better than expected, with the aid of the Army's helicopters. Spraying should commence as soon as the survey is completed in the area." The New South Wales government approached the Federal government for assistance in combating the plague earlier this month in an attempt to protect agricultural production worth about $500 million in the infested areas, as well as those areas which are threatened. Four Army aircraft, 18 soldiers and several vehicles for ground to air radio communications were supplied by the Minister for Defence, Mr Barnard. This assistance has been timed to take effect immediately, which is the crucial period in combating the locusts. Also identified: 2nd Lieutenant Don Underwood, 161 Recce Flight; Captain Ian Smith, 161 Recce Flight; Mr "Brooky", Brookfield Pastoral Protection Board.