Megan Hughes
Rockhampton, QLD
Megan is the rural reporter for ABC Capricornia. She is a Central Queensland local back home after reporting throughout regional Queensland and South Australia. Megan has worked previously as the rural reporter for ABC South East SA and ABC Wide Bay, as well as a reporter in commercial radio and television.
Latest by Megan Hughes
How this rural town provides care for locals from early childhood to twilight years
Communities struggling to get early childhood and aged care services can take inspiration from this unique solution.
More sustainable, traceable Australian cotton to hit shelves as industry pivots to homegrown
Cotton Australia says there has been a significant increase in licensed products bearing the homegrown mark and expects shoppers to see more of it in stores.
From dripping on bread to biofuels and skincare, demand for tallow is surging
It started as a war-time snack that reduced waste during food scarcity, but now tallow is making Australia one of the most significant players in biofuel exports.
Agricultural societies innovating to attract new audiences to annual shows during cost-of-living crisis
Rural communities worried that the high cost of living will damage attendance numbers at their local shows are innovating to find new ways to attract wider audiences to the events.
Truck driver Gemma Hogg climbs back in the saddle to restart her jockey career
After walking away from her dream career six years ago, Gemma is back on the horse where not even broken bones can keep her from reaching her goal.
Parthenium weed can produce 100,000 seeds from a single plant. This beetle has a big job to do
Australia has been infiltrated by six-legged foreign agents, but instead of spying for the enemy, these beetles are working to defeat invasive weeds and protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Excessive red tape and 'unmanaged' national parks blamed for Queensland bushfire devastation
Sid Godwin says back-burning may have prevented a bushfire on his property where he lost 10,000 hectares of grazing land.
Graziers 'can't just sit and hope for rain'. Industry leaders say it's time to destock
Queensland graziers are being urged to sell their cattle as the state's bushfire emergency exacerbates an already dire national feed shortage.
How the humble chickpea put Australian pulse production on the map
Australia exports more chickpeas than any other country, but the industry wants us to eat more at home.
Women are under-represented in agricultural leadership, but the industry is working to change that
Women weren't legally considered farmers until 1994 and, while progress has been made, they are still under-represented in leadership roles.
Invasive ants are a huge problem in Australia, but a classic computer game could help solve it
Scientists use Age of Empires to simulate ant warfare, with the aim of helping native ant species better fight their invasive counterparts.
What did Australia learn from the last drought? We are about to find out
The experience and the lessons of the 2019 drought are fresh in the minds of farmers. Now the challenge is to get ahead of the next one.
Worried you won't find cheap mangoes this summer? Here's some other tropical fruit you can buy
The much-loved Bowen mangoes won't be overflowing on supermarket shelves this summer due to a warmer than average winter. So, without as many mangoes on the market, what else will be in store?
Queensland's only community-owned pub up for sale after financial struggle
It's the end of an era for Hotel Theodore, the only pub in Queensland owned entirely by the community.
Queensland mother who was found dead at home with baby girl was a 'beacon of hope, joy and love'
The bodies of Tayla Cox and 11-week-old daughter Murphy were found by police on Thursday morning.
EFTPOS machines, medical devices, older mobile phones could be useless when 3G switched off
The 3G network switch-off dates are looming. Telcos say Australia is ready for the transition to 4G and 5G, but some community members disagree.
Land clearing figures show 50 per cent reduction across three years in Queensland
Fewer trees were cut down in Queensland since 2018, "a great outcome for biodiversity and carbon emission reductions" the government says, but nearly half were in Great Barrier Reef catchment areas.
Cheap imports 'decimated' Australia's flower industry. Could micro farms save it?
Twenty years after cheap flower imports flooded the Australian market, the focus is back on locally grown blooms as shoppers "push towards sustainability".
Battery eggs on the way out — eventually — as ministers agree they have to go
An egg industry advocate says farmers will need to be compensated if a suggested end date for battery hens in Australia becomes a reality.
Australian lamb production is soaring and that's mouthwatering news for shoppers
There's more sheep than people in Australia, so as numbers grow and trade talks with the EU continue, where will our sheepmeat go?
Disease decimated Australia's sunflower capital, but could biofuel bring it back?
A plan to produce vegetable oil for biofuel could see a Queensland town recrowned the sunflower capital, after disease and market pressures wiped them from the landscape.
90 per cent of Queensland is now drought-free but some farmers warn they are not out of trouble yet
The Queensland government has lifted drought declarations in nine local government areas after an improvement in conditions. But a complete recovery is still some way off.
Horned cattle becoming rarer as industry opts for genetic solution to controversial practice
Australia will spend millions of dollars reviewing animal welfare, but the beef industry says ending dehorning will take more than money.
Would you swap your job for croc wrangling? For Sam, it was a no-brainer
These Australians are swapping their jobs for the croc cage. Do you have what it takes?
Unhappy with his property's value skyrocketing, Rob's decided to fight the hike
High valuations are great news for people wanting to sell, but those holding onto it will feel the consequences, says a peak rural lobby group after the Queensland valuer-general upped the monetary worth of some rural blocks.