Meg Powell
Burnie, TAS
Meg Powell is a multimedia journalist who has been covering Tasmania since 2019. She spent several years with The Advocate newspaper digging in to a range of issues from crime, health, the environment, business, social affairs, the arts and politics.
These days you'll probably find her bogged in a North-West Tasmanian paddock, after she joined ABC Rural in 2022. Got a tip? Send it to Powell.Megan@abc.net.au
Latest by Meg Powell
'No red flags, completely believable': Desperate farmers taken in by Facebook hay scam
Desperate to feed hungry animals, these Tasmanian farmers spent thousands of dollars on hay that never arrived. Now, they want to protect other vulnerable people from doing the same.
Dairy farmers search for savings as processors slash farm gate offers
A Tasmanian dairy farmer says while the pay cut was expected, it has put pressure on her to scan the ledger for savings.
Sleepless nights, cracked dams and cows eating seaweed mark King Island's worst drought on record
King Island, off Tasmania's north-west tip, usually produces more than 20 per cent of the state's beef, but the worst drought on record is forcing farmers to make heartbreaking decisions.
Milk dream sours for Chinese company as iconic Tasmanian farm put up for sale
The remaining slice of a 200-year-old farming property in Tasmania's north-west is up for sale, after years mired in controversy, unrealised grand ambitions, allegations of animal cruelty and mismanagement, and the recent loss of a major milk contract.
Tasmanian factory workers walk off job over pay gap claims with mainland colleagues
Workers at a major cheesemaking plant in Burnie say they are sick of being treated like the "poor cousins" of mainlanders doing the same job for the same company.
King Island desperate to ship cattle to Victoria as drought takes hold
It is normally lush and green, but King Island is drought-stricken and its farmers are calling for help to ship their cattle and sheep north to the mainland.
Tasmania is riddled with hundreds of fading and vanishing towns. Where did they go wrong?
On Tasmania's wild west coast, towns have risen and fallen at the whim of industry. Some of their oldest living inhabitants remember their former homes, and how their communities came undone.
Abattoir ban forces dairy farmers to shoot dairy calves on farm
In December 2023, activists captured damning footage from inside the only abattoir in Tasmania that took bobby calves. Now, farmers are having to resort to the "heartbreaking" job of killing them on farm.
Tasmanian farm the size of Gibraltar sells for $15m in 'good deal' for management fund
A slice of what was Australia's largest dairy farm in Tasmania's fertile north-west has been purchased by a Melbourne-based management fund as part of a 10,000 dairy cow goal.
Tasmanian town grapples with 'gut-wrenching' impending mine closure
The return of Avebury Nickel Mine came with the promise of an economic boon for Zeehan on Tasmania's west coast. But less than 18 months later, the community is grappling with imminent job losses.
One of Australia's largest dairy operations to cull 700 cows in wake of cancelled milk contract
Tasmania's Van Dairy will send about 10 per cent of its herd to slaughter after losing its milk supply contract with Fonterra this month.
'Here we are': science teacher finds passion for pig farming
After decades of teaching high school science, Mr Cox decided to drop a couple of days at his local school and instead turn his hand to free-range pig farming.
Waiting for goods from overseas? There's a 'perfect storm' of issues causing delays
Consumers have been warned they face long delays and higher prices for goods as shipping and port problems cause delays across the world.
Grassroots group launches last-ditch appeal against wind farm on 'wild and beautiful' Robbins Island
Environmental activists and community members fighting a wind farm planned for Robbins Island, off Tasmania's north-west, say their upcoming court appeal is likely to be the end of the road for them, with money — and hope — running dry.
Peonies are prized flowers. But it's their roots that have farmers interested
With short seasons and fragile crops, the cut flower market can be high risk for farmers but new research is hoping to open a new revenue stream for the growers of one popular plant — the peony.
Threat to endangered parrot species dismissed and wind farm approved
Tasmania's planning appeals tribunal has thrown out a project-killing condition imposed on a large wind farm proposal, due to it being in the migratory path of an endangered bird species — which has elicited a furious reaction from veteran environment activist Bob Brown.
Strahan is famous for salmon farms and tourism. Will both die to save a threatened species?
The plight of the endangered Maugean skate could see a pause to salmon farming in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour. But locals warn the flow-on effects to their small community could be disastrous.
What'll happen to King Island Dairy? Locals are asking the question as owner eyes sale
The potential sell-off of the only dairy processing plant on King Island comes as a little surprise to locals who have witnessed a dwindling industry.
This timber is so rare, you have to prove you are worthy enough to buy it
Third-generation sawmiller Ian Bradshaw considers himself the custodian of Tasmania's rarest native timber — a job he takes very seriously.
Tasmania's Big Potato falls down, but Rockliff family vows 'Kenny Kennebec' to return after makeover
Strong winds have toppled 'Kenny' the big Kennebec potato on Tasmania's Bass Highway, but the landmark's owner, the Rockliff family, says it will return after a makeover.
It's hard, long and sometimes stinky work, but this marathon effort may have found hope for Tasmanian devils
An insidious cancer has ravaged Tasmanian devil populations in recent decades but researchers are now optimistic devil numbers can bounce back.
Betta famously wanted to keep its Tassie milk out of the hands of mainlanders. Now, it's going to be owned by them
The slogan for Tasmania's Betta Milk — "It is our milk after all" — could soon ring hollow for Tasmanians slurping down their morning coffee or splashing the white stuff over their cereal.
'It's totally wrong': Trees are dying on Donald's property as pastures turn to bogs
A private hydro scheme in Tasmania's north west is capable of powering 800 homes — but questions are being asked about the impact on neighbouring properties.
'Apple huts' keep scientists warm in Antarctica — they come from a little town called Penguin
Looking like citrus peel, sections of fibreglass are being manufactured and flat-packed on the outskirts of a rural Tasmanian town, destined for Antarctica or even Hollywood.
'We turn up and the cows are there, ready to be milked': The new tech giving farmers a sleep-in
Each morning when Tasmanian farmer Duncan Macdonald wakes up and heads to the milking shed, his herd of dairy cows is already there and waiting — thanks to "virtual fencing" technology.