Loddon Herald 2 February 2023

Loddon HERALD

OVERTAKING LANES AT HIGHWAY PINCH POINTS

CONSTRUCTION of the first Calder Highway overtaking lane north of Bendigo could start by June.

Victoria’s Transport Department has applied for a Loddon Shire planning permit to remove trees at Derby for the southbound lane.

The overtaking lane between Gath Rd and Connor Road is one of two planned to be finished by 2024.

The Federal Government has given $75 million for upgrades on the Calder Highway/Freeway between Melbourne and Mildura “to address identified pinch points in the corridor”.

Department regional director (Loddon Mallee) Melanie Hotton said: “Crews will soon build a new overtaking lane on the Calder Highway at Derby to improve traffic flow and create safer and easier journeys for all road users.

“The new overtaking lane will boost safety by providing easier overtaking opportunities for those travelling south-bound between Bridgewater and Marong,” she said.

“The works will make this

section of the Calder Highway, which is a key route for both locals and our broader agricultural industry, safer for everyone.”

A second overtaking lane is planned on the Calder Highway, north-bound, between Yorkshire Road and Houliston Road in Leichhardt, with works expected to start next year.

The department said the two new overtaking lanes had an $8.46 million Australian Government investment as part of the Melbourne to Mildura Roads of Strategic Importance Initiative with the Victorian Government delivering the project.

Scoping and development works for the corridor started early 2021.

Tranche one works, including the Derby overtaking lane, had been marked to start last year. Other projects are an overtaking lane at Hattah and works at Red Cliffs and Sea Lake.

The Federal Government has allocated a total of $12.4 million for overtaking lanes between Melbourne and Mildura.

Friday 3rd March 2023 10.30am

Farm Machinery, Equipment & Sundries

A/C Jeff D Cox

Onsite: 159 Cox’s Road, Wooroonook, Charlton

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT: Cougar Steiger ST 280 Tractor (13064Hrs), 325 HP, 1982 “Snoopy” 3388 Case Tractor (9000Hrs), 2008 Case Puma 140 tractor with Howard Q65 FEL (5750Hrs)

FWA, complete with Trimble Ez Pilot auto steer &1050 screen, 1970 Chamberlain MK4 FEL 236 Perkins MTR, 1971

TAKING A DIP BILL Quinn had one of the coolest duties on Australia Day taking his turn to be dunked at celebrations in Pyramid Hill as temperatures rose well into the 30s. Donning patriotic attire, Bill was a popular target with youngsters having their aim well honed for multiple dunks. Bill later raised the Australian flag during the formal ceremony, one of many held in Loddon communities last Thursday. STORIES, PICTURES - PAGES 12 & 13

CLEARING

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686 International tractor (not going), 2003 Case 2388 exclusive Axial Flow Header with Case 1042 36’ front, 2009 Goldacres Prairie 4500 Ltr Tritech Boom Spray (100 ft) with controller, Ellsworth 12 Wheel V Rake, Goldacres 2000 Ltr 42 ft Boom Spray Shearer 5-160 scari bar (72 tyne), Connor Shea + 8 33 tyne Scarifier with roller Harrows, Simplicity 4500 Ltr Bin/ Howard Bagshaw 31ft seeder bar (41 tyne), New Holland 1431 mower conditioner 13ft, Shearer 33’ Springtyne Fieldspan Cultivator bar, Horwood Bagshaw 42’ Harrows, Leith hydraulic 30’ Pea Plucker, Melway 15’ stubble mulcher, John Berends 6’PTO Slasher, 4 wheel fowler trailer, 28 plate offset disc. Hurschfeld Drain Former, 3PL post hole digger, Hardi 30’ Boom Spray, Roller Bar Hay Rake, Bates portable 800 Ltr fuel tank, 2 X o’head fuel tanks Swingsaw BSA motor, Peerless Air Compressor, 5HP B-S reduction motor.

GRAIN HANDLING & EQUIPMENT: Sherwell 42 ft PTO Auger 9.5”, GBH Grouper 14 ft, 10 ton, with roll over tarp & 6HP motor, 3 X Sherwell 28 ton Field Bins with Augers, Ackland 28 ton Field Bin with Auger, Sherwell 240 bag Field Bin, 20’ 4” Pencil Auger with electric motor, Jachmann portable grain cleaner with 5HP Mitsubishi motor, 1973 2050A Acco Tray Truck with 18’ tipper (Hoist- Not going) & 120 bag bulk bin. 1964 Bedford (44,000 Miles) with 14’ tray (telescopic hoist), silo sprayer, QTY crop lifters. QTY lentil lifters, Bottom Riddle (Case 2388), Cowra stock feeder, Addlem stock feeder, Peerless 240AMP arc welder.

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By CHRIS EARL

THE things people do for love! Had King Richard on the phone the other day, taking respite from milking cows by scampering away with the Queen Consort and family for a few days at the beach. Here he was in the heat of the day, riding the bike to the butchers to buy some burgers for the barbecue. Not sure what those burgers were going to be washed down with but it’s a sure bet the beverage also started with the letter “B” or was he just B.........

ON THE subject of love, had an email from one of those national media release companies land in the inbox this week. A matchmaking service had some new statistics it wanted to share with newspaper land. According to matchmaker’s research, more than half (55 per cent) of men and women believe the most appropriate age for marriage is between 25 and 29 years old. Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of people think one to four years of dating is appropriate before a couple ties the knot. Nearly half (43 per cent) of singles don’t want to get married, while 28 per cent are unsure. That leaves just 29 per cent of singles keen to tie the knot. For four-fifths (82 per cent) of Australians, honesty is the most important factor in deciding whether a partner is marriage material; only a third (35 per cent) think attractiveness is important. Only one in five (18 per cent) of women say a partner’s income would influence their desire to marry, compared to, perhaps surprisingly, 23 per cent of men, the company said.

WHEN it came to the billylids, 30 per cent would marry a partner who said they didn’t want any, while 27 per cent would not. A further 38 per cent of those surveyed would weigh up the situation before making their decision, while there were even those unsure what they’d do. Not sure where those stats came from, but OTF reckons that’s the view of people in those big cities and a little out of kilter with what happens in country areas.

SPEAKING of country things, must give full marks to the caterers at Boort bowls tournament on Australia Day. Sampled one (okay, two or so)

of the home-made kisses - a popular plate on the afternoon tea table. They melted in the mouth. Now talking about love, there’s no doubt that good cakes are a sure-fire way to anyone’s heart.

NOT even such a spread could muffle the chatter during the afternoon tea break. Laurie Maxted had the answer to getting attention when it came time to make the all-important announcements. In his possession was one of the Australian Open “keep quiet” signs. We think Laurie had more success with the silent instruction than when the hand-held signs are flashed around at the tennis.

MAKING the catering plates at multiple spots over recent days has been our iconic lamington. Lamingtons are believed to be named after either Lord Lamington, who served as Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, or his wife, Lady Lamington. According to Wikipedia, most sources incline to the former. The earliest known reference to the naming of the lamington, from June 1927, links the cake to Lord Lamington. The identity of the recipe’s inventor has also been debated. Most stories attribute its creation to Lord Lamington’s chef, the French-born Armand Galland, who was called upon at short notice to feed unexpected guests. Using only the limited ingredients available, Galland cut up some left-over French vanilla sponge cake baked the day before, dipped the slices in chocolate and set them in coconut. Impressed by Galland’s creation, Lamington’s guests were said to have later asked for the recipe. It’s been well shared ever since.

New principal at helm for St Mary’s school

THE school year started across the Loddon on Monday with enthusiasm high among students and teachers.

Among new staff in local schools is Stephen O’Shannessy who started his appointment as principal at St Mary’s Primary School Inglewood.

Mr O’Shannessy comes back to central Victoria after 10 years in Darwin, punctuated by 12 months working in London schools.

He said the British experience in multiple schools had added to skills that could be adapted for learning and leadership in Australian schools.

For the last five years, Mr O’Shannessy acted as deputy or acting principal in Northern Territory schools and has a Masters in education leadership.

Mr O’Shannessy said more effective use of teaching and study time helped achieve success for students.

“Teaching is about helping every student with their learning,” he said.

Mr O’Shannessy succeeds Kim Carter as principal after Ms Carter accepted a position in Bendigo.

Next week’s Loddon Herald will have stories and photos of the first day of school.

ENDS 12 FEBRUARY 2023

be sold below the RRP in some stores prior to this offer. As our stores vary in size, it is possible that not all products are displayed in all stores but all products may be ordered on request. While we aim to ensure the information provided is correct, sometimes errors occur and we reserve the right to correct any errors. New orders only. Snooze’s standard terms and conditions of sale otherwise apply.

New St Mary’s Primary School principal Stephen O’Shannessy. LH PHOTO

Vale business doubles

THERE’S a mini-boom happening in Korong Vale.

The number of businesss in in the main street will double when Jenny Bligh moves her discount store into the old Proctor’s General Store later this month after 30 years in Wedderburn.

And the reputedly-haunted Scully’s Korong Vale Hotel has new publicans with Max Scott and Craig Thompson taking over the lease from previous licensee Anne MacDonald.

Jenny, who started Bounty Discounts in February 1993, first traded from the old butchery before moving into Wedderburn’s old bakery and then her current High Street premises 14 years ago.

However, with that shop one of three now for sale, and the owner wanting vacant possession, Jenny looked nearer her home for new premises.

“I’ll still do deliveries of orders into Wedderburn every Thursday as well as picking up copies of the Loddon Herald that are always quickly snapped up by Korong Vale people,” she said.

Selling everything from hats and fascinators to toys, gifts and stationary, Bligh’s Discounts has become a Wedderburn institution over three decades.

“I’ve had a few locations over the years and many customers who keep coming back,” Jenny said.

“When I needed to look for new premises, the opportunity to move the shop to Korong Vale came up. Now the packing starts

to be into the new premises later this month.”

Jenny said preparations had also started at the former Proctor’s store, that closed earlier this century.

Meanwhile, Max and Craig have already started brightening up Scully’s Hotel.

An early addition to freshlypainted walls has been a photograph of Annie Scully who had the hotel built in 1891.

Local resident Yvonne Cashen arranged with Wedderburn Historical Records Museum to have a photograph of the hotel’s name-

sake framed for display. Max, a diesel mechanic, and former sawmill worker Craig swapped Gippsland life for the ‘Vale last month. Their first weeks have been spent stripping up to four layers of wallpaper from walls and painting the hotel in heritage colours.

Korong Vale’s population hit a peak of about 600 people in the 1930s when a large rail workforce sustained the town Railway rationalisation in the 1980s saw the town’s population decline and the school closed in 1998.

IN BRIEF

National awards

BOORT butchers Jye and Kristy Arnold are this weekend at the national Sausage King awards in Adelaide. The local butchers last November took out prizes for the shortcut bacon and Italian pork sausage in Victoria.

Grass fire

A FIRE spread through more than 10 hectares of grassland at Woodstock West on Tuesday afternoon before it was brought under control. A chopper gave aerial support to brigades including Inglewood, Lockwood, Dunolly, Marong, Woodstock West, Tarnagulla and Newbridge. It is believed the fire was started by farm machinery.

Interest in store

The last Census put Korong Vale’s population at 143.

The town continues to have its own tennis club although the bowls side went into recess this season.

And life at Scully’s Hotel also includes a darts team in the Loddon association.

Yvonne said the new publicans had quickly become part of the community, keeping the hotel as a meeting place for locals.

“They’re wonderful,” she said as families sat in the beer garden or under the historic verandah on the hotel’s famous couches.

THERE had been strong interest from prospective buyers in the Newbridge Store and post office, said real estate agent Greg Fathers. Mr Fathers said the historic store had gone on the market last year and negotiations were continuing with interest parties.

Road fatality

A 30-YEAR-OLD Dunolly woman has been killed in a road crash at Laanecoorie. A utility and a SUV collided at the intersection of Bendigo- Maryborough Road and Bridgewater- Maldon Road just after 8am Monday. Police said the driver of the SUV died at the scene.

New Scully’s Hotel publicans Max Scott and Craig Thompson.

Jenny Bligh starts packing for her move from Wedderburn to Korong Vale. LH PHOTO

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Soil dump concerns

A FORMER Loddon mayor is concerned the shire council has chosen the wrong site to temporarily dump soil during redevelopment of Wedderburn’s Donaldson Park.

Peters Street resident John Donaldson told the Loddon Herald the cordoned off section for soil was in the wrong place.

“It’s not in Donaldson Park but what we call Cooper Park ... within metres of the swimming pool, fitness station and Nardoo Creek,” he said.

Environment Protection Authority has limited soil excavated during the $5 million redevelopment to movement within the park. The level of contamination in the soil is not harmful, according to council.

Mr Donaldson claimed there

had been no consultation or advice to residents in the area.

“Residents walk along the creek path daily and children go through there before and after school,” he said.

Mr Donaldson said he had spoken with council and wanted better barriers and signage.

Shire operations director Steve Phillips said: “Council is working with the Donaldson Park committee of management to locate suitable stockpiling sites within Donaldson Park for material during this project.

“There is approximately 2000 cubic metres that is not required for stage one of this project that will need to be located on the western side of Donaldson Park.

“There are no restrictions on the use of this material on site.

Community health push for 20% funding jump

NORTHERN District Community Health wants a 20 per cent increase in State Government funding. The Kerang-based service that operates in Boort and Pyramid Hill says indexed core funding increases are needed to “ensure ongoing delivery of critical services and health promotion work”.

NDCH has joined a statewide campaign by 24 services across Victoria in their Community Health First push.

“The soil is not harmful, the EPA restriction on the soil is about movement to other sites.

“There will be pedestrian bunting as well as silt retention and hydro seeding to minimise run off.

“Stage two of the redevelopment scheduled for late in 20232024 financial year will require additional fill. This material will be utilised at this later stage.”

Mr Phillips said earthworks would continue over the next couple of weeks.

“Preparation for the building construction is well underway, with footings and services planned to be going in during February,” he said. “Council and contractors are doing all it can to minimise impacts to the community during this project”

CEO Mandy Hutchinson said: “Northern District Community Health is supporting the Community Health First campaign because we know that the key to solving our current healthcare crisis sits within our services.

“No other part of our healthcare system has the same level of community connection and stewardship and ability to rapidly enact scalable responses

to emerging public health issues.

“Victoria’s community health services ensure that world-class healthcare is accessible to all, especially the most vulnerable and hard-toreach people in our communities.”

NDHC says it has enjoyed “working closely with the Andrews Labor Government over the last few years of the pandemic, but while Government seeks solutions to alleviate the current health system crisis, we hold the answers within our services.

“Our strong connections to local communities built across 50 years of operation and our ability to reach those who need world-class healthcare the most make us a pivotal component in addressing the sustained pressure being felt by our health system,” the service says.

Harvey’s special 80-year jewel

FORMER Pyramid Hill resident Harvey Bawden has been presented with a jewel marking 80 years membership of Freemasons Victoria.

The presentation to the World War Two RAAF veteran was made in Shepparton where Harvey now lives. He

had been a master of the Pyramid Hill Mason Lodge.

He later retired to Bendigo where he continued membership of Freemasonry before moving to Shepparton where family members, including former federal minister Sharman Stone, live.

John Donaldson wants more than plastic webbing on soil dump site near Donaldson Park. LH PHOTO

VICTORIA - HOTEL -

WELCOME TO COUNTRY DEBATE

Saying once ‘is enough’

AN UPDATED policy that would have required all Loddon Shire councillors and staff to individually give an acknowledge of Aboriginal traditional ownership at events and meetings has been sent back to the drawing board.

A majority of councillors rejected the new the Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners and Welcome to Country Policy with some questioning the change from “country” to “owners” at last Tuesday’s meeting.

Cr Gavan Holt said the first shire representative to speak at functions represented the organisation.

“How is respect enhanced by 10 people doing it (a welcome)?” he asked.

Cr Neil Beattie said he shared the opinion of Cr Holt.

“Once it’s been said, I don’t the need for the acknowledgement to be done again,” said Cr Beattie.

He said at Australian Local Government Association conferences the acknowledgement could be given at least 20 times and “it gets overbearing”.

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But Cr Wendy Murphy said it was the right of subsequent speakers at functions whether to give an acknowledgement.

And Cr Linda Jungwirth said while she could see limiting acknowledgement to one speaker could “help the event run more smoothly ... people will do the acknowledgement if they want”.

Community wellbeing director Wendy Gladman said the previous policy said there would be only one acknowledgement but there were other agencies that might choose to given their own acknowledgment.

“We haven’t specifically excluded Lod-

Future bush access important: Straub

SITES included in the Goldfields World Heritage bid should not lead to a blanket ban on use, Cr Dan Straub told last week’s Loddon Shire Council meeting.

Councillors were told the World Heritage Bid was not seeking a blanket protection of public land in the region but instead will focus on 10 to 20 specific sites across the 13 council areas.

“I hope these words will be true,” Cr Straub said.

He said he would continue to have reservations on whether the bid would lead to removing access to areas for bush user groups.

In his report, chief executive officer Lincoln Fitzgerald said an economic analysis showed a $25 million boost to the region if the bid was successful.

Council re-affirmed its participation in the bid. Cr Gavan Holt said the “minimalist motion” did not “preclude us from changing out minds”.

Women discuss ‘ambitious target’

A LOCAL government group wants 55 per cent of councillors to be women, Cr Wendy Murphy told last week’s Loddon Shire meeting.

Cr Murphy said she had attended the recent online session of the Victorian Local Government Women’s Charter that had the target of 55 per cent female representation.

Cr Murphy said 43 per cent of Victorian councillors were currently women and the target “was not quite there yet but (there are) always more and more women putting their hand up for local government”.

Loddon is a signatory to the charter for improving the representation of women as elected representatives.

don councillors or staff with the understanding that some staff or councillors may wish to have their own acknowledgement as they speak as well,” Mrs Gladman said.

Cr Holt asked why council had changed its position. Mrs Gladman said: “It was probably a little bit of an oversight in the wording ... subsequent speakers may choose what’s in the state guidelines when representing other agencies.”

Mrs Gladman said the policy could be amended to reflect who gave the acknowledgement on behalf of the council.

Cr Holt said it would be the “call” of non-Loddon speakers to give an acknowledgment.

“The first person to speak represents us and shows our respect,” he said.

Cr Holt said he found the policy patronising and did not to support First Nations people and the challenges they were facing in Alice Springs.

“I am concerned about what is happening in Alice Springs at the moment,” he said.

The recommendation to adopt the new policy, that would define acknowledgement of Dja Dja Wurrung as traditional owners, was defeated with only Cr Murphy and Cr Jungwirth in favour.

Cr Jungwirth said: “People need to be allowed to make their own decisions on what they can say.

“I find it (the policy) respectful ... shows more thoughtfulness and inclusion (to Dja Dja Wurrung).

Cr Murphy said: “We should be respecting everyone who is invited to an event and they say what they like.

The land was never ceded and the pol-

icy recognises Dja Dja Wurrung,” said Cr Murphy.

A subsequent motion to defer consideration was moved by Cr Holt who said he agreed with most of the updated policy. That motion was carried.

Mrs Gladman’s report considered by councillors said key changes in the new policy included:

z changing from Acknowledgement of Country to Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners to more accurately reflect the action being undertaken;

z changing of the term ‘custodian’ to ‘owner’ to reflect the change in language at State Government level;

The inclusion of only the Dja Dja Wurrung people to be referenced by name, reflecting State Government guidelines indicating that a reference to a specific traditional owner group in an acknowledgement is completed for formally recognised Traditional Owners on the land which your event is taking place.

Her report also said: “The practice of acknowledging Traditional Owners or being welcomed to Country at official events can engender polarising opinions within the community.

“This may be balanced through the provision of supporting background information to the community and ongoing cultural awareness training for Council staff.”

Dja Dja Wurrung was contacted regarding their preferred title to be used in an acknowledgement of traditional owners as part of the updated policy preparation, said Mrs Gladman.

A revised policy is expected before council this year.

Lily takeS challenge in memory of cousin

LILY Finch is an active 11-year-old in Year 6 at Wed-derburn College and trying her hand at cricket for the first time.

Her cousin Jaxon Cooper was the same age when he died of DIPGbraincancerin2015.

A rare and highly aggressive cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, is a type of brain tumour in the brainstem knownasthepons.

Lily is joining Jaxon’s father Rob and his siblings Logan and Grace in the Peace of Mind Challenge this month raising money to employ more brain cancer support workers in Victoria.

Team Jaxon has already exceeded its first target of $1000 with Lily selling raffletickets to friends around the Loddon aftersecuringprizesfrombusinesses in Wedderburn, InglewoodandCharlton.

Lily says she was inspired to be part of Team Jaxon to remember her cousin and help children with brain cancer attendretreats.

The Peace of Mind Challenge has teams setting their fundraising targets and taking

part in an amazing race event in Geelong this month where teams solve clues and complete fun challenges.

First held last year, the challenge raised $40,000 which was put towards patient and family brain cancer retreats across Australia. This year, the aim is $150,000.

Peace of Mind Foundation says brain cancer kills more Australians aged under 40 than

any other cancer but survival rates are unchanged in the past 30 years. More than 1500 Australians died of brain cancer last year. The average survival time of DIPG cancer patients is between nine and 18 months from diagnosis.

Australia’s first trial of a treatment for DIPG started at Sydney’s Westmead Children’s Hospital last year.

Lily said 14 teams had already

Cry of Celts coming in bigger event

KILTED Scots and the Irish in emerald livery will descend on Bridgewater for a day of Celtic celebration next month.

The Scots Day Out-Celtic Connections celebration expands on last year’s inaugural event in the old railway station precinct.

Kooyoora Women’s Network has added a partnership with Scots Day Out, a major event that was held in Bendigo until COVID lockdowns and restrictions.

Organiser Jenny Hosking said: “We’re delighted to have aspects of the Scots Day Out format being rebooted in Bridgewater.

“Folk music and Scottish clan associations will be part of the event program celebrating traditional and contemporary Celtic culture,” she said.

entered the challenge and her team was looking forward meeting other participants for the fun day.

“We have decided to make a difference and fundraise for Challenge Brain Cancer to raise much needed funds for Peace of Mind Foundation, an amazing cause that’s close to my heart,” she said.

Lily’s local raffle is on sale until February 24.

“We’ve already something like 10 clan groups coming and the music line-up will have everything from a traditional pipe band to foot-tapping folk music throughout the day and then featuring the highly acclaimed Old Melbourne Town playing at the Bridgewater Hotel that night.”

Jenny said traditional Scottish and Irish crafts and cuisine would also be part of the day.

“Bringing in participants that were part of Scots Day Out will greatly grow our Celtic Connections event that had a great first year in 2022,” she said.

“We hope the bigger event will support local businesses and bring our communities together.”

Lily Finch(centre) out selling raffle tickets with (from left) Attila and Judit Clark, mum Jess and her brothers Charlie and Patrick. LH PHOTO

Loddon kindergartens’ pre-prep reform date set

LODDON’S five kindergartens will be second cab off the rank in the State Government’s rollout of its pre-prep program.

Neighbouring Gannawarra has been announced as one of six municipalities to have the program of 30 hours each week of teacher-led play-based learning in 2025.

Local kindergartens at Boort, Pyramid Hill, Inglewood, Dingee and Wedderburn have been announced for the second year of the roll-out.

Country communities will have the pre-prep program before most metropolitan areas.

The Government has said preprep could also be rolled out at long daycare centres.

Loddon is also slated to have

a co-located child care centre in 2026, again in the second tranche of a State Government commitment to open 50 centres across the state in areas with the greatest unmet demand and informed by the “child care deserts” work from the Mitchell Institute.

Loddon Shire is the only municipality in Victoria without child care according to the Mitchell Institute.

Wedderburn and Loddon communities have been campaigning for two years to address the child care crisis.

During last year’s election campaign, then Ripon MP Louise Staley pledged to use part of the $12.9 million budget allocated for Wedderburn College upgrade for a co-located centre.

Police warning on fire bans

POLICE have warned Loddon residents to observe restrictions after a fire in Inglewood last week.

They are investigating the fire that was attended by Inglewood and Bridgewater brigades last Wednesday.

Police allege a bonfire “with assorted rubbish from dry tree cuttings, dry grass and other assorted rubbish such as a

mattress and tin cans” was lit during a fire danger operiod.

Meanwhile, high temperatures saw 18 units attend a grass fire at Yeungroon on Australia Day. They were supported by the air chopper that has been based at Boort since before Christmas.

Fire restrictions have been in force across the Loddon since early December.

The re-elected Government has said there will be consultation on the location of the Loddon Shire’s co-located child care centre.

No announcement has been made on the process for selection of a location.

The Government said its rollout of pre-prep was similar to the introduction three-year-old Kindergarten, “allowing enough time to develop a strong, skilled workforce and deliver the infrastructure required to support this uplift in service delivery”.

Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt said: “Pre-prep programs will be delivered through sessional kindergartens and long day-care centres, creating a high-quality, universal program that gives four-year-old

children greater opportunities to socialise, learn through play and best prepare them for their formal educational journey.

“Early education has the most profound impact on a child’s development – that’s why we’re delivering free kinder for three and four-year-olds, establishing pre-prep, and upgrading or providing new equipment to every kinder to make sure kids have everything they need to get the best start.

“First, three-year-old kinder and free kinder, and now PrePrep – these once-in-a-generation reforms will not just give our kids a quality early education, they will also give them the best start to their whole lives,” Ms Stitt said.

Thieves target small business

THE alleged theft of power tools worth more than $40,000 overnight Monday is being investigated by police.

The tools were reported taken from a truck owned by AgriFab’s Tim Heather, parked in a locked shed near Tarnagulla.

The young businessman was devastated that equipment and tools used to repair farm machinery across the Loddon had been stolen.

Kevin proudly joins club Australia

DINGEE’S Kevin O’Hara proudly dressed in the Australian version of red, white and blue when he became an Australian citizen last week.

Sporting an Australian flag T-shirt, Kevin was presented with his certificate by Loddon Mayor Dan Straub during the ceremony in Wedderburn.

“I knocked off about 7.30 Monday night and locked the truck away. I was about to head off to a job 12 hours later on Tuesday morning and checked I had all the gear needed, only to discover the truck had been stripped,” he said.

He has reported the incident to police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tarnagulla police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Mr O’Hara, who came to Australia from Britain in 1967 as a 22-year-old, was later congratulated by family and friends who witnessed the ceremony in the council chambers.

An avid musician, Mr O’Hara said he “enjoys the atmosphere of the Loddon Shire and is proud to finally be an Australian citizen”.

It’s important to be aware of mosquitoborne illnesses like the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) and Ross River virus (RRV). These viruses are transmitted by mosquitos and can cause symptoms such as fever, nausea joint pain and fatigue. MVE and RRV virus have been detected in mosquitoes trapped at multiple locations across the Shire. If you’re attending outdoor events, please remember to remain vigilant by protecting yourself from mosquito bites. The best way to avoid being bitten is to cover up – wear long, loose- tting clothing. Use mosquito repellents containing Picaridin or DEET on all exposed skin; and limit your time outdoors if lots of mosquitoes are about.

For more information visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov. au/protect-yourself-mosquito-bornedisease

Flood relief and recovery grants

One-o $5000 grants are available under the Small Business Immediate Flood Relief Program or the Community Sport Emergency Flood Assistance Program, to provide immediate support.

Applications for these grants close on Tuesday 7 February 2023. Further funding is available to eligible applicants under the Business and Community Sport Flood Recovery Grants program. Flood Recovery Grants provide up to $50,000(excl. GST) to help cover eligible expenses incurred from direct damage due to ooding. Funding received under the Small Business Immediate Flood Relief Program or the Community Sport Emergency Flood Assistance Program will be included in the total grant amount.

Applications for these grants close

on 1 May 2023, applicants must have been successful for the $5000 one-o grant before applying for the $50,000 grant.

Please note, receiving a Small Business Immediate Flood Relief grant doesn’t automatically guarantee eligibility for a Business and Community Sport Flood Recovery Grant. Businesses and organisations that received a $5000 grant will be provided with information about eligibility and how to apply.

Small Business Immediate Flood Relief Program https://business.vic.gov.au/ grants-and-programs/small-businessimmediate- ood-relief-program Community Sport Emergency Flood Assistance Program https://sport. vic.gov.au/grants-and-funding/ourgrants/Community-Sport-EmergencyFlood-Assistance-Program

Don’t wait until it’s too late

DAVID Vanston fears changes to Calder Highway speed limits in Inglewood’s Brooke Street could come too late.

The town’s golf club secretary has lived through the impact of major accidents on notorious southern entry bends in Inglewood.

A truck rollover in 2016 left areas of town without electricity and put the golf club out of action for 18 months, bleeding members and money as contaminated land was cleared and made safe.

The Calder Highway speed drops to 80kmh within metres of the golf club entrance before soon becoming 60kmh and then 50kmh through the narrow section of Brooke Street with shops and heritage verandahs.

“Sadly, it looks like nothing will be done unless there’s a serious accident ... that will be too late for that person,” David said.

“We’ve had a couple of warning signs with truck rollovers,

including the one on New Year’s Eve.

“And it’s inevitable that there is going to be even more traffic coming through town with local growth and the growth we’re seeing in Bendigo.”

Mr Vanston said the cleanup bill from the 2016 rollover at the golf club had been an estimated $8 million.

“Compensation helped cover costs but the biggest loss was membership,” he said.

Mr Vanston said the narrow gap between parked cars and travelling semi-trailers was an issue in the Brooke Street retail precinct.

“You could reach out your car window and touch a passing truck,” he said.

Mr Vanston has backed calls for speed limit reductions in Brooke Street, including 40kmh in the two retail precinct blocks.

“We really don’t want more accidents and worse still, people being injured or worse,” he said.

Last speed review during COVID Study puts spotlight on town treatment strategy

SITE investigations, crash history, road use, pedestrian activity and community sentiment are used by the Department of Transport to assess speed zones.

The department last reviewed Brooke Street in mid-2021 when Victoria was coming in and out of COVID lockdowns.

A department spokesperson said: “In the five years to June 2022, there has been one recorded crash in Brooke Street Inglewood which occurred in 2018.

“In March 2021, the Department of Transport and Planning received a speed request review along this section of road.

“The review found Brooke

Street did not meet the criteria for speed reduction, therefore the current 50kmh speed is appropriate.”

The department said gateways signs had been installed at the southbound and northbound approaches to Inglewood to highlight to motorists that they need to slow down.

“The signs and line markings provide a visual reminder to drivers that they are entering a town and need to slow down to adhere to the posted speed limit.”

The gateway signs advise of a 60kmh limit.

Inglewood businessman Peter Moore has proposed flashing

speed checks signs for the town. The signs and installation are priced at about $50,000.

Mr Moore has provided information on the signs to new Ripon MP Martha Haylett who said: “Road safety is an important issue and we all have a role in sharing our roads safely. I have been talking to many locals about how we can make our roads safer, particularly in busy, high-pedestrian areas in our local towns.”

“Our road network is regularly reviewed and I want to make sure we continue to work closely with councils and consider options for improving safety in our rural towns.”

MANAGEMENT of speed at intersections and in towns along the Calder Highway from Ravenswood to the NSW border may strengthen Inglewood’s push for a 40kmh town limit.

That’s according to Loddon Shire councillor Wendy Murphy who represents council on the Calder Highway Improvement Committee.

Cr Murphy said when local speed limits were last raised in 2021, Regional Roads Victoria did not “show a lot of support”.

However, Cr Murphy said the

issue would again be raised at a committee meeting next month and a safe system solutions study on speed zones due to start soon could be important to the local push.

Cr Murphy said the narrow street, parking, dog legs and a shopping strip along Brooke Street created conditions “not necessarily conducive to driving at 50kmh”.

There were other highway towns in Victoria where the town speed limit had been reduced to 40kmh, she said.

David Vanston joins the community campaign to reduce the Brooke Street speed limit. LH PHOTO

EXERCISE physiologist Shanaye Alexander has headed to Inglewood to start her allied health career.

Shanaye’s rural career start Catchment recruits to key role

Shanaye graduated from La Trobe University Bendigo last month and wanted to practice in a rural community.

“I grew up in Nhill, I like country life,” she said last week.

Shanaye will be working with Inglewood and Districts Health Service patients and clients living with chronic disease, using exercise and lifestyle recommendations to help them maintain a quality of life.

Also joining IDHS last week was cardiopulmonary nurse Michaela Murray.

Michaela said providing a cardiopulmonary outpatient service would reduce travel and improve access for people in the area.

She will run eight-week programs for patients recovering from heart attacks or with cardiovascular or respiratory lung diseases.

“People will be able to access services locally instead of travelling,” she said.

New RAT kit rollout drops eligibility requirements

LODDON Shire will be part of an expanded State Government offer of free rapid antigen tests.

The program, announced by the Government last week, will see local councils distribute the RAT packs.

A shire spokesperson said:

“Council is currently in the process of organising delivery of the tests and arranging distribution sites, after which further information will be provided to the community as to where residents can pick up the free RATs.”

The Government said all Vic-

torians would be eligible to pick up two free packets of RATs through their local council to help with early detection and treatment of COVID-19.

“Individuals can collect up to two packets for themselves plus up to two packets for each

household member per visit while people with a disability or their carer can collect up to four packets of tests,” the Government said.

The Government said previous eligibility requirements for free RATs had been removed.

NORTH Central Catchment Management Authority has started the search for a new member on its strategic direction committee.

The board sub-committee role has input on the authority’s regional catchment strategy for managing land, water, and biodiversity.

The committee also supports the development of the authority’s climate change action plan, North Central river health strategy 2005, North Central floodplain management strategy 20182028 and business development strategy.

Board member Richard Carter said the committee played an important role shaping the authority’s response to natural resource management.

“We’re looking for a community member who has an interest in wanting to see the environmental assets of the region improved and can think broadly and strategically,” he said.

“They don’t have to be an expert or have a big list of qualifications. They just need to care and want to contribute to the way their region is managed. We’d love someone from the region who will build on the diversity of views around the table.”

Blue plaques guide history walk

PYRAMID Hill Historical Society members will soon install 32 blue plaques charting the history of the town.

The society is using an $8253 Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal grant to place the plaques at historic sites.

One will be in Victoria Street where Middleton’s Coffee Palace burnt down in 1899, opposite the current police station.

Long-time society member and local historian Helen Stephens said the society’s museum had a photograph of the town brass band in front of the palace, a two-story building.

“One of the men in front holding a brass instrument and who started the Pyramid brass band is Henry Saville, the ancestor of our current local policeman Jeff,” Helen said.

“The night Middleton’s Coffee Palace

burnt down, the Pyramid draughts team rode their bicycles to Durham Ox to the play against a Durham Ox team.

“When they were riding home they could see the blaze at Pyramid Hill.

“Walter Walden was one of the draughts players who had been boarding at the coffee palace and would have been looking for a bed that night.”

Middleton’s Coffee Palace had been built in 1886. The timber building had about 20 rooms, according to a report of the blaze, with narrow timber staircases that made it unsafe “from the point of view of insurance companies”.

It was not the only Pyramid Hill coffee palace to burn down. Albiston’s was destroyed by fire in 1914. The building and adjoining solicitor’s office also destroyed were near the railway crossing.

Pyramid Hill Brass Band outside Middleton’s Coffee Palace

Michaela Murray and Shanaye Alexander join the Inglewood and Districts Health Service team. LH PHOTO

White bike slueths branch for answers

THE sudden appearance of whitepainted bicycle high up a tree branch has left Serpentine district residents searching for answers.

Natalie Rose spotted first a bike south of town on the Loddon Valley Highway and then a second closer to Kerang.

White - or ghost - bicycles can be a roadside tribute left at the site where a cyclist has been killed or severely injured.

But Natalie and other district resi-

dents say they are unaware of road accidents in the Serpentine stretch of the highway involving cyclists.

They have now put out the call for people with information to help solve the local mystery.

Pink painted bicycles have also been spotted across country Victoria as tribute to people who have died with breast cancer.

The ghost bicycle tribute started in the United States more than 20 years ago.

Museum marks store pioneer

PLAQUES have been placed on the grave of Wedderburn retail pioneer William Craig and his family.

Members of the historical records museum spent recent weeks installing plaques after receiving permission from the town’s cemetery trust.

“William, along with his wife Rachel and daughter Ida are all buried at the Wedderburn Cemetery but unfortunately the headstone had deteriorated and at some stage was removed altogether leaving William and family in an unmarked grave,” said museum secretary Alan Mulraney.

“Those who lived in town prior to 1987 will certainly remember Craig’s Store which closed its doors on November 27, 1987 after almost 110 years of continuous service to the community.

“It’s founder William Craig started up the business in 1878 along with Robert Leck whom he had met in a previous employment at Moliagul. The store was named Leck and Craig.

“After a long illness Robert Leck died in

1890 and William, along with his family ran the store until his death in 1927.

“His family continued to run the business for the next 60 years, eventually changing the name to Craig’s Store.

“The store was on the site of the current supermarket with the store entrance located on High Street.

“Its final owner, David Craig retired in

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1987 and sold the business to Kathy and Keith McNicol. Shortly afterwards the store was burnt down by an arsonist who incidentally was caught and prosecuted, and replaced with the building which stands today,” Alan said.

William died in 1927 aged 85, Rachel in 1906 aged 59 and Ida in 1902 at the age of 18.

Tunnel studies under review

CATALYST Metals is expecting State Government feedback by June to earth resources regulation work plans to build a 3.6km gold exploration tunnel near Mitiamo.

The company’s quarterly report last week said reviews of technical and environmental studies in the plan were underway.

“Work continues on tendering the development underground and surface infrastructure works, for detailed project costing, in preparation for consideration of a final investment decision by the joint venture partners later in 2023,” Catalyst said. Exploration expenditure during the December quarter at Catalyst’s Victorian tenements was $1.1 million, including three drill rigs at the Four Eagles project site.

“The Boyd’s Dam diamond drilling program through the quarter was focussed on the deeper extensions of the main structural position down-dip of the shallow Boyd’s Dam mineralisation.

“These are the final holes to be incorporated into the pending resource estimate at Boyd’s Dam.

“The air core and RC drilling programs (are) focused on the Hayanmi prospect and the intervening zone to the east towards Boyd’s Dam.”

“In the March quarter, drilling activities will continue on prospective areas deemed to carry strong potential for mineralisation. At Four Eagles, these include several areas in the vicinity of the proposed exploration tunnel: Hayanmi, Boyd’s Dam, and the areas between and to the south. At Tandarra, drilling will be at the Macnaughtan prospect.

“Drilling in the 2023 field season is designed to add inferred resource at Hayanmi, Tomorrow, Macnaughtan, Pickles, as well as down-dip from the known mineralisation at Boyd’s Dam.”

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The famous local store and its founder William Craig.

EVENT OF YEAR WEDDERBURN Historic Engine and Machinery Society president Trevor Bailey and secretary Lois Goddard receive the Loddon Shire Event of the Year award from Wedderburn ward councillor Gavan Holt. The society was recognised for hosting the 8th National Historical Machinery Association tractor trek. Enthusiastics came from across Australia for the event that had been several years in the making after COVID-enforced postponements.

WEDDERBURN WARD COMMUNITY SERVICE Ian Hall was honoured for being a “quiet achiever” in the community. He has recently retired as curator of the town’s bowling club and tennis club after more than 20 years. He is a life member of both organisations and continues to play pennant bowls. Ian is also a lay preacher with the Church of Christ and has been a member of the town’s fire brigade for 45 years. He was previously a long-time cricket player.

LH PHOTO

TERRICK WARD COMMUNITY SERVICE Robyn Spowatt receives her award from Mayor Dan Straub at the Australia Day celebrations in Pyramid Hill. Robyn has been a key helper with the Pyramid Hill College swimming program for more than 20 years. She has also worked with local youngsters through youth clubs and when the Church of Christ Kids Club closed during COVID, Robyn started a new group to keep local children engaged.

LH PHOTO

SPECIAL AWARD Bridgewater Fire Brigade captain Tim Ferguson was a surprise recipient of a Victoria Police certificate recognising outstanding service during October’s flood emergency. Leading Senior Constable Mick Balazs made the presentation after Mr Ferguson had delivered the Australia Day address at Bridgewater. LH PHOTO

TARNAGULLA WARD COMMUNITY SERVICE Sue Horsley has been secretary of the Newbridge Recreation Reserve committee for 20 years and is again playing a pivotal role in flood recovery and assisting with grant applications as she did following the 2011 floods. She is also secretary of Newbridge Progress Association and the disrict’s community plan committee. Sue has collated historical records at the Newbridge Hall and has previously organised the town’s Australia Day celebrations. LH PHOTO

Students receive their certificates

STUDENTS have been recognised by Loddon Shire Council at Australia Day celebrations.

The annual school photograph and art competition was again well supported by Loddon schools.

Winning and highly commended students were presented with their certificates by councillors.

Next week’s Loddon Herald will have a full list of successful students in the 2023 Australia Day competitions.

A COMMUNITY AWARD Wedderburn earthmoving contractor Brendan Reeves was presented with special certificate by the Charlton community of appreciation at that town’s Australia Day celebrations for his efforts during the October flood emergency delivering soil and assisting with levee banks as water levels rose across the district.

Couple shares Boort Ward award for decades training deb sets

CHERYL and Murray Chalmers have been recognised with the Boort Ward community service award for decades assisting with training debutantes and their partners.

Since 1998, Cheryl has been assisting the agricultural and pastoral society with its balls, starting with set design, flowers and organising flower girls. With husband Murray they became involved with deb set instruction in 2003 and from 2006 were the trainers until retiring after last year’s ball.

Cheryl and Murray also volun-

teer their time in other community activities.

Murray spends many hours on Weedboat Willy each year to maintain Little Lake Boort for recreational lake users while Cheryl was previously an active member of Boort Amity.

Their award nomination said: “These two individuals fully deserve to be recognised for showing continued enthusiasm for the duration of 25-plus years towards our Boort and surrounding community. Without their service the Boort debutante balls would not have been possible.”

INGLEWOOD WARD COMMUNITY SERVICE Campbells Forest CFA stalwart Don Wilson received his award from Inglewood ward councillor Wendy Murphy at the Bridgewater celebrations. He has been a CFA member for more than 66 years and was captain for 10 years. He is a member of the Campbells Forest Hall committee and the district community action planning group. Don continues his sporting involvement with Bridgewater Bowls Club and has played football and tennis. LH PHOTO

LH PHOTO

Cr Neil Beattie with Cheryl and Murray Chalmers. LH PHOTO

Big crowds at celebrations

I LOVE Australia, I love Australia Day - those were the words of Loddon Mayor Dan Straub last Thursday.

The Terrick Ward councillor was guest speaker at celebrations in Inglewood, Tarnagulla and Newbridge.

In a message echoed across the shire where large crowds attended town and district activities, Cr Straub said: “For me and many others, Australia Day has a special place in our hearts.

“It is a time to reflect and celebrate modern Australia and its great diversity in landscape and in culture.

“Modern day Australia is unique, our lifestyles have been shaped by our environment and the need for necessity which drives innovation.

“We live in peace, and we respect our democracy and we have a desire to share a common future.”

At Boort, the official ceremony preceded a day of activities in Nolen’s Park organised by the agricultural and pastoral society.

Local and bus industry legend Hazel Whitmore directed her address to young people.

“You can do ... a simple word but so forceful. You can achieve despite your background, you can achieve despite your origins and beliefs, you can achieve despite the many challenges that will happen in your life, you can achieve big things just by starting with small things,” said Hazel.

Deputy chief officer of Fire Rescue Victoria James Dullard told the crowd at Jarklin, this year hosting the East Loddon celebrations, that his fortunate career don’t just happen.

“My fortunate career has come about by presenting and accepting opportunities. Getting started is the hardest bit,” said Mr Dullard, who grew up on the family farm at Pine Grove, shore his first 100 sheep at Mitiamo and played a football season with the Superoos. “Opportunities come to you.”

Lions clubs had a key role organising and catering for celebra-

tions - barbecues at Jarklin, Inglewood and Wedderburn.

And Alica Leech again organised a swimming carnival at Inglewood that saw youngsters enthusiastically cooling off.

The 5-6 years section was won by James Milgate, 7-8 years Edmund Wilson, 9-10 Abby Wilson and 11-12 Xander Wilson. Mandy Cragg was the star in adult events.

And in every community there were congratulations for Citizen of the Year Howard Rochester, Young Citizen Jake Murphy and ward community award recipients. Australia Day was big on local celebrations.

A day for families in Jarklin. LH PHOTO

Marigold Postle with grandmother Alex Holt in Wedderburn. LH PHOTO

Paul Haw, Annie Worlsey, Macey Dow and Madeleine Scott sample indigenous food at Boort. LH PHOTO

Citizen of the Year Howard Rochester surrounded by his family.

LH PHOTO Young Citizen Jake Murphy with father Travis. LH PHOTO

Les and Lyn Wattie attend the Bridgewater ceremony. LH PHOTO Ian Anderson at Jarklin. LH PHOTO Darcy and Prue Addlem with Abby Wilson at Inglewood. LH PHOTO

Joy fostering care of young

WHEN she became a foster carer, Rebecca Luckman was surprised to find that welcoming additional children to stay fitted so neatly into her family’s life and routine.

She discovered that many of the skills and tools she used in the classroom came in handy at home with her foster children too.

“As a teacher I have strategies I use at school every day which help me manage situations that arise at home,” Rebecca said.

“Having a good idea of what behaviours are age-appropriate, as well as understanding that each child’s learning and development needs are different, has also meant I’ve been able to better connect with each of our foster kids.”

Rebecca, her husband Stewart, and their two teenagers contemplated fostering for several years before starting the process of becoming accredited carers.

“I called and inquired about fostering with Anglicare Victo-

ria more than a couple of times before we finally committed,” Rebecca said. “We’d always have a reason why it wasn’t the right time for us – the kids were too busy with sport; we both work full-time … in the end it was actually my daughter who convinced me to submit the paperwork.”

“Going through accreditation

and training with Anglicare Victoria was great. Everything was online, which made it easy. We were able to go through it at our own pace and at times that were convenient for our family.

“The foster care team we work with in Bendigo are so incredibly supportive and helpful – they go above and beyond for us. They select placements

that fit in with our family and remind us to take breaks from fostering if we need to.

“As a family we’ve continued to learn and grow with each foster care placement we’ve had. It has absolutely brought us a renewed sense of closeness.

“I think our 14 and 16-yearolds would happily eat in their rooms, but now we have dinner at the table as a family.

“I’ve watched our kids develop the confidence to engage in passionate conversations, take initiative to help make our foster children feel welcome, and understand that not everyone is as fortunate as they are,” she said.

Rebecca said she always found it incredible to see children come out of their shells and change their behaviour to become the people they want to be.

“That’s what it’s all about for us, letting each child know how amazing they are, and they can achieve anything they want in this world,” Rebecca said.

“One of the young kids we fostered could not read or write and was displaying significant behaviour issues when he came to us.

“Six months later we received his school report, and it was sensational. He was reading, writing, and attending school full-time. He showed me a book he’d written, he’d dedicated it to ‘Bec, my hero’. It brought tears to my eyes.

“Often people say to me they couldn’t do what we’re doing, and I tell them that they can –anyone can do it. You don’t have to be special to foster, if you’re caring and compassionate, you’ll definitely get as much out of it as what you put in.

“For people thinking about becoming foster carers, I’d encourage you to just try it. Begin with respite care for a weekend, or during the school holidays –the difference you can make in even a short amount of time is astounding, and you’ll be surprised at how easily it fits into your life,” Rebecca said.

Agency wants to double number of welcoming families in region

ANGLICARE Victoria is looking for new foster carers to open their homes to vulnerable children in north-central Victoria.

For children in state-care, who have been removed from their families, the beginning of a new school year may mean new guardians, new friends and a completely new life.

Foster carers can provide a supportive,

stable and safe environment for these children, allowing them to thrive both emotionally and academically.

Inglewood’s Rebecca Luckman and her family have been providing foster care in the region for several years.

Rebecca, a teacher, is encouraging other teachers to give fostering a go. Anglicare’s north central regional Michael

Oerlemans said: “We currently have close to 60 active carer households in Bendigo and surrounds, but we desperately need more.

“To ease the current pressure in our local region, we’d love to almost double that number to provide homes for children in need. Carers can be single, de facto or married, with or without their

own children. Anyone over 21 years of age who can offer a child in need a secure, loving home, is eligible.

“Over the Christmas period we saw an increased number of children entering care who needed emergency placements. So even if carers can only help out for a weekend, or the odd day here and there, it does make a difference.”

Mozzie repellent

MOSQUITO repellent is expected to be provided at Loddon Shire events after Murray Valley encephalitis was detected in local traps.

Council on Monday confirmed trap detections had been in the northern part of the shire.

“Council is undertaking mosquito prevention activities as advised by the State Government,” according to a council spokesperson.

“These activities include barrier spraying, fogging and larviciding. Additionally council has increased our messaging to

BUSY BEN TANADARA’S Ben Govett had another big week judging at New Zealand’s major dairy show last week.

Gremlins were at play with the Loddon Herald’s earlier print deadline last week

for events

the community ... with respect to mosquito protection.

“And (we) are working with event organisers to provide mosquito repellent for events being held in the shire.

“As advised by the State Government, the best protection is to avoid mosquito bites, including the use of mosquito repellents containing Picaridin or DEET on all exposed skin, or to cover up and wear long, loose-fitting and light-coloured clothing, and to limit time outdoors if lots of mosquitoes are about,” the spokesperson said.

and we had Ben’s surname wrong in the On the Land story about his brown Swiss herd’s outstanding success at International Dairy Week. Our apologies Ben.

The Luckman family ... advocates for foster care.

How Rebecca and Stewart expanded the dinner table

Buyers exercise caution with hay selections

TRADERS were being selective in their purchases with a glut of lower quality hay on the market after last October’s floods in multiple states.

ThriveAgri Hay Australia’s national grower and quality assurance manager Geoff Walker said: “Traders are buying the best of the worst.”

“As a result, the price is fairly strong for low grade hay.”

Mr Walker said supplies continued to roll into the company’s Bridgewater plant with average tonne prices of more than $200 up more than $60 on the same time last year.

“We’re still moving produce and topping up with vetch and barley straw,” Mr Walker said.

“For people who rely on hay, commodity prices are still good.”

He said export demand was strong for quality hay that was coming out of Western Australia.

Weather in the final months of 2022 had damaged crops in Victoria and South Australia with little hay cut in New South Wales.

There had also been a change of focus for some farmers following trade issues with China.

“Some have jumped off hay and taken to a cereal crop pro-

gram,” Mr Walker said. “However, the future for hay still looks bright not only for export but also domestic wise.”

AgTrade’s livestock nutrition division, ThriveAgri, last year expanded its operations with the acquisition of Western Australia and Victoria-based fodder business Hay Australia.

With an estimated 10 per cent of Australia’s 1.35 million tonnes of hay exports last year, Hay Australia sources high quality fodder from producers to pro-

CLEARING SALE CHARLTON - WOOROONOOK

vide a premium product range for dairy, beef and equine customers.

“Providing a consistent and trusted supply of fodder through Hay Australia entirely supports ThriveAgri’s overarching mission to help to ensure healthy animals and productive supply chains through delivery of highquality animal nutrition services,” said general manager Charlie Brown.

Hay Australia opened its Bridgewater operations in 2013.

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SHEEP MARKET

THERE was a slight drop in lamb supply, but sheep numbers were cut to just 3200 head following the cheaper rates of the past fortnight at Bendigo on Monday.

Full buying field of processors and competition was keener across all categories of stock.

The biggest export lambs were similar to a few dollars dearer, but underneath this was rises of $8 to $15/head for most other grades.

The hot spot of the market was for nicely weighted 23-28kg cwt lambs.

Some of the plainer lambs, which were being discounted on fat cover and presentation, recorded the biggest price gains in this sale as buyers were forced to drop back onto these to fill orders and also to shandy-down their overall c/kg cost.

Export weighted crossbred lambs over 30kg cwt from $240 to a top of $275. Strong bidding for heavy 26-30kg crossbred lambs at $220 to $256, the best crossbreds at a ballpark 840c/kg cwt but some plainer first-cross bodies still under 800c/kg.

Quality heavy trade lambs 24-26kg were well supported at $196 to $218 amid limited numbers. General run of trades $160 to $190.

Small store lambs $110 to $130 with not a lot of good lines to suit restockers.

Rates for sheep bounced back over 300c/kg cwt again. Big crossbred ewes $96 to $136 and

best trade and heavy Merinos in a skin $103 to $123. Plainer light and trade ewes $50 to $85.

CROSSBRED LAMBS

ALB & R McIntosh Wanalta (62) $275, DL & TM Jensen Diggora West (102) $269, RJ & DM Johnson Boort (54) $258, AA Jensen & Son Raywood (167) $255, OR & BE Osborne Neilborough (58) $254, Monmore P/L Laanecoorie (140) $242, AB & KB Broom Neereman (124) $234, WR Wishart Macorna (68) $231, R & B McKenzie Elmore (114) $230, Burnewang Nth Past Rochester (94) $229, F & N Martin Adelaide Lead (14) $223, MJ Byrne Axedale (63) $213, RAMJ P/L Knowsley (43) $208.

CROSSBRED EWES

AA Jensen & Son Raywood (52) $136, DG & AM Connors Lancefield (40) $128, Lisadurne Hill Rushworth (52) $116.

MERINO EWES

Stevens Farming P/L Whiteheads Creek (81) $117.

Order of sale next week: Nutrien, Nevins, Elders, McKean McGregor, Nuttall.

SUPPLIED BY ASSOCIATION STOCK AGENTS

GRAIN

Boort Grain Co-op prices Tuesday. Wheat - HL1 $367. H2 $353. APW $342. ASW $329.75. GP1 $329.50. SFW1 $327. FED1 $287. Barley: PL1 $365. SP1 $345. PLX $365. SPX $345. Bar1 $282. Bar 2 $267.

Canola - NON GM CANOLA+/- AOF $653. *GM CANOLA +/AOF **CANGS $643. Faba1 $340. Faba2 $340.

WEDDERBURN GALLOWAY ROAD

16th FEBRUARY 2023 @ 1PM SHARP ON SITE

36.422 Hectares – 90 Acres

Including shearing shed – 3 stand with attached sheep yards and spray dip. In 4 paddocks.

Machinery Shed 19m x 6.5 m Zincalum & steel construction with earth floor.

2nd Machinery Shed 29m x 8m Gal Iron construction with earth floor.

Raised barn 8m x 12m with Plastank & hay shed.

Land – Loam top to a clay base with lovely arable flats, excellent grazing or cropping allotment.

Terms: 10% deposit required upon signing

Further Particulars:

Hay Australia’s Geoff Walker. LH PHOTO

FEATURES

Hope for a fairer deal

By PETER WALSH

MY HOPE for 2023 and beyond is simple –to see regional Victoria gets its fair share of the cake.

To see its roads and rail services rescued from their current state of decay – there’s nowhere you can travel in regional Victoria without having to weave from side to side to dodge potholes, crumbling edges and, in some cases, whole stretches of rod where the surface has been chewed up by traffic use way beyond its capacity.

To see enough doctors and allied health professionals attracted to regional hubs and towns to save people waiting months to see a GP – or heading to a big city for help. And for the many country towns in dire need of hospital upgrades, and replacements, to get their share of the billions of dollars being splashed around infrastructure projects in Melbourne.

If we don’t get progress there now, playing catch-up will only deepen the regional and rural health crisis.

To see enough teachers attracted to country schools to give students, especially high school students, the range of subject choices they need to have a reasonably level playing field when aiming for university spots and future careers. But we also need to remember the formative years of education are irreplaceable in equipping our young people with the skills they need to make the most of the

Ideal for breeding

Sir, Widespread and lasting rainfall on the east coast of Australia in 2022 has led to a sustained period of ideal breeding conditions for Australian waterbirds – and recreational duck hunters are getting ready to enjoy a bumper harvest in 2023.

Duck hunting in Victoria is an ethical and responsible way for health-conscious Australians to enjoy a naturally renewable and free-range source of meat.

The meat from harvested wild ducks is generally higher in vitamins and lower in cholesterol and sodium than chicken; and by utilising birds that live, breed, and grow in wetlands, hunters are harvesting a resource that uses land unsuitable for agriculture – thus ensuring healthy ecosystems rather than the large-scale monocultures created by crops such as soybeans.

Harvesting and utilising ducks as a meat resource can also lower the overall food mileage.

Hunters know where and when their meat was harvested, and exactly how it has been treated right up to the point it goes onto their table.

The sustainability of hunting has been proven and supported by leading wildlife scientists around the world, and Victoria’s season is tightly controlled.

If anything, the Victorian legislators can be accused of being too conservative in restricting hunting times and daily

rest of their time in school. To see their schools upgraded and better equipped so our children don’t want to abandon their hometowns in search of more choices.

To see serious and significant investment in childcare across regional Victoria, where it’s not like Melbourne, or Geelong and Ballarat, where you have a choice of care alternatives.

In too many regional towns there is no choice, because there is absolutely no childcare. How can we expect to attract young families to regional Victoria if we can’t offer them something as basic as reliable childcare so parents can work if they want to?

To see a drastic overhaul of the aged care industry, so regional Victorians who have done the hard yards, who have been contributors, get treated with the dignity, respect and compassion they deserve.

Increasingly the only news about the aged care sector is bad news. There needs to be enough investment to ensure quality residences staffed by quality personnel, are available so our senior citizens can live in safe and peaceful surrounds with the thanks of us all for their contribution to regional Victoria.

Unfortunately, my hopes and my vision are almost certainly at odds as the vision I see ahead in 2023 is an uphill battle to

harvest limits on hunters. Native ducks can be harvested in Victoria only by appropriately licensed individuals, and only during the recreational duck season (legislated to run from March to June). Victorian legislation enshrines that hunters must make all endeavours to recover all ducks that they hunt – and that at least the breast meat is harvested. So not only do hunters eat what they harvest – they are legislatively required to do so.

Victorian hunters are awaiting the announcement of any seasonal restrictions, but with positive announcements made in both Tasmania and South Australia in recent weeks, the pressure is on the legislators to announce the season soon.

This will allow hunters time to make plans to get into regional and remote Victorian communities, and not only get their harvest – but put vital dollars back into those communities.

The Victorian Department of Jobs, Precints and Regions’ June 2020 report Economic contribution of recreational hunting in Victoria found that the gross contribution to Gross State Product from recreational hunting by game licence holders in Victoria in 2019 was $356 million.

More specifically, the gross contribution from duck hunting was $65 million, and from quail hunting the tally was $22 million.

Considering the impacts of widespread flooding on Victorian communities and

Community and Loddon Shire debate on ‘welcome to country’ ceremonies has triggered responses from Loddon Herald readers

Jill Fitzgerald writes: No Australian citizens need to be welcomed to our own country, I am Australian born and bred. This is my country.

Andrew Roberts writes: I’ll do it for $250.

fight for just some progress in all or any of the above.

Regional Victoria is, and always has been, out of sight, out of mind, with this Andrews Government.

Just take a quick look at the Swan Hill hospital upgrade. It is a two-stage multi-million dollar project and wouldn’t it make sense, while the workers are there now doing stage one, that stage two planning and approvals get fast-trackED so all that personnel and equipment can stay on site and work straight through?

But I doubt anyone in Spring Street is listening, even though The Nationals had this strategy as a priority if elected the chances Daniel Andrews and his gang will pick up on this blindingly obvious solution to get the hospital up to speed will be ignored.

While the Premier and his union cronies try to hide the billions and billions of dollars in debt being racked up on the out-ofcontrol ‘Big Build’ (which should be called the Big Bill for accuracy), my Nationals colleagues and I will be in there fighting to make sure regional Victoria remains a priority on the political agenda.

*PeterWalshisthememberfor MurrayPlains

businesses in 2022, such an injection of cash in 2023 would surely be welcomed.

LucasCooke CEO FieldandGameAustralia

Yes to a duck season

Sir, Tell the same lie often enough and it will be believed. Those opposing a duck season claim duck numbers are low, after two consecutive La Ninas! (Loddon Herald, January 19).

Drive in the country and see for yourself, there is water everywhere and ducks. The official survey flies over\ set lines on the East coast and this year the birds are dispersed away from those lines and still breeding. Believe your own eyes!

Duck numbers will fall, when the water recedes over the next year, and they can either be dead in the wetlands, or hunter’s freezers, as simple as that.

There is little better that seeing the sun rise over a wetland, calling in ducks from afar (no it’s not as simple as just blowing a caller), taking a carefully measured shot and seeing your trained dog joyfully swim out and make the retrieve.

For those who have never tried roasted wild duck with a sublime sauce, then perhaps I can understand why you do not see the point.

BillPaterson GlenWaverley

YOUR ONLINE WORDS

Nick Marlow writes: What is the justification on wasting ratepayers and taxpayers money on this deliberately divisive crap? The Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation will be laughing all the way to the bank. And like all such tokenistic crap, absolutely no benefit to the genuinely needy amongst the Aboriginal people. Kel Stewart writes: I caught a live on

1. What animal has the longest lifespan?

2. How far away can a wolf smell its prey?

3. What is the world’s most poisonous spider?

4. How many times can a hummingbird flap its wings per second?

5. What type of energy does an unlit match have?

6. What is a dog’s permanent tooth count?

7. What does someone who believes in antidisestablishmentarianism oppose?

8. In English, what does the Latin word Tempus mean?

9. In a polo match, how many chukkers are there?

10. How long is a nautical mile?

11. In Jurassic Park, who played park owner John Hammond?

12. What is the name of the anthemic dance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the beginning?

13. What film won Steven Spielberg his first Academy Award for Best Director?

14. Zurich is the capital of?

15. What was the nationality of Marco Polo?

16. Which is considered a semiplanet?

17. What is the name of the river that passes through Baghdad?

18. Which country has the greatest number of natural lakes?

19. What is the only sea that doesn’t have any coasts?

20. Tennis was first presented as an Olympic sport in what year?

ANSWERS

Australia Day on Facebook where the Aboriginals were at Parliament House or somewhere protesting and the language that came out of their so called Elder was absolutely disgusting ... every swear word in the book. Bruce McCahon writes: Vocal representative of the rabble minority.

1. Giant Tortoise. 2. Nearly two miles.

3. Brazilian Wandering Spider. 4. 80 times.

5. Potential energy. 6. 42. 7. The Church of England. 8. Time. 9. Six. 10. 1.15 miles. 11. Richard Attenborough. 12 The Time Warp. 13. Schindler’s List 14. Switzerland. 15. Venetian. 16. Pluto. 17. Tigris. 18. Canada.

19. Sargasso Sea. 20. 1896.

Diversity without dissent Local celebrations genteel affairs

THERE was a brilliant cartoon from Johannes Leak this week that I believe encapsulates the thoughts of many Australians regarding the Voice to parliament, a Makarrata Commission, changing the date of Australia Day, altering the flag and the overdone acknowledgements of the traditional owners of the land.

It depicts dark figures smashing their way through her front window as the operator of an Alice Springs general store is on the phone yelling, “Quick, I need a constitutionally enshrined first nations voice to parliament and the establishment of a Makarrata Commission for the purpose of ...”

In May 2017 at Uluru a meeting of 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders produced the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’, calling for the establishment of a ‘First Nations Voice’ in the Australian Constitution and a ‘Makarrata Commission’ to supervise a process of ‘agreement-making’ and ‘truth-telling’ between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples.

Since 1968 we have had numerous advisory bodies and commissions in relation to Aboriginal affairs. The most notorious was the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Commission, eventually disbanded by Bob Hawke as it had failed in every way. None of them has succeeded in fixing any of the problems we still have today. What solutions another such body, a race based Voice sitting in Canberra costing millions of dollars with a bloated bureaucracy will provide to the root causes of our problems I am not sure.

We are entitled to be informed of the details as to how it will work. Of particular concern is whether or not parliamentary responses to it are justiciable, given the number of activist judges and lawyers we have. Former High Court judges Hayne and Callinan have opined that they will be. This would be a lawyers’ feast.

The elephant in the room is the issue of who qualifies as an Aboriginal and so is able to vote for and participate in the

By Cr GAVAN HOLT

Voice. The tripartite test of Aboriginality as determined in the Mabo (2) case is not supported by many, including Aboriginal Australians. Warraimaay woman Victoria Grieve Williams says that the current fashion of self- identifying as an Aboriginal person is out of control. At the 2021 census the number of Aboriginals grew by 25%. She adds, “The increase in “box tickers” has a huge impact on government spending, on Closing the Gap statistics, on cultural representation and on Aboriginal health and wellbeing.”

Henry Ergas is one of the great writers and thinkers of our times. He has said, “Always central to the Enlightenment tradition, the principle that all citizens have the same constitutional rights and obligations has endured as a beacon of Western thought.” He asks if in Australia some citizens are going to be made more equal than others.

Loddon Shire’s Aboriginal Community Partnership Plan demonstrates Council’s support for activities that will assist in bringing about positive change in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents. The Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners and Welcome to Country Policy grew out of this Plan. At the Loddon Shire Council meeting last week there was debate coming out of the review of this policy. I find the repeated use of traditional owner recognition at public meetings unnecessary and patronizing, but of course others differ.

That matter is insignificant compared with the division that is growing in Australia with the biggest political issue that is confronting us in 2023, the referendum on the Voice.

I do not accept that Australia is institutionally racist. Almost all Australians, whether born here or the 29 per cent born overseas want the best for Aboriginal Australians, respect that they are proud of their culture and history and accept that

all was not perfect with what happened to them after Europeans arrived. The vast majority of the descendants of the Aboriginal people that were here when white people arrived have benefited from that arrival. Australia has spent billions of dollars trying to help Aboriginal people, far more per head than for non-Aboriginal Australians. Aboriginal people are equal under the law in every way. The majority of Aboriginal people who are incarcerated are so because of Aboriginal on Aboriginal crimes.

We are in a chaotic mess in Aboriginal affairs. It is one of the great failures of Australian politics. There is too much virtue signaling such as recognition of traditional owners, smoking ceremonies and flag flying and not enough constructive action.

Of those who identify as Aboriginal in Australia about 20 per cent have not integrated into modern life and live in settlements where precepts such as payback and humbug still exist. This is where our problems lie and despite the billions of dollars poured into the Aboriginal industry, the gap still exists. It is the plight of these people that must be at the centre of our agenda.

There are two great Australian women who should be listened to on Aboriginal issues, Bess Nungarrayi Price and her daughter Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree with them.

Bess is a Walpiri woman born in Yuendumu where she lived in humpies for the first years of her life and became a mother at thirteen. She pulled herself out of her circumstances and studied to be a teacher and also became a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. Jacinta is now a senator for the Northern Territory. Great Aboriginal voices.

Out of all the white noise surrounding the problems of Aboriginal communities in the bush, highlighted by what is currently happening in Alice Springs, listen

to these two. They rationally outline practical steps that should be taken to solve the problems.

Bess was a supporter of the Howard government’s Northern Territory Intervention with its bans on alcohol and restrictions on how welfare payment could be spent. She was critical of Amnesty International for its opposition to the Intervention. She said, “When aboriginal women in Central Australia ask for help, when they are killed, raped and beaten, when they cry for their abused children you ignore them and you support those who are oppressing them. When the government tries to do something for them you call them racist and you blather on about the UN.”

To quote Jacinta, “Because of Stolen Generations policy recommendations and the accompanying applied stigmatization of the removal of Aboriginal children as being “racist” we now have a situation in which children are left in dysfunction and abuse. We now have a neglected, abused and traumatized generation and they’re on display every night on our streets – if not breaking into the homes of locals.”

Loddon’s Australia Day ceremonies are genteel affairs where we recognize outstanding citizens and celebrate our great strengths, imported from Britain, of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, a free press, property rights and free speech, although this last one is being challenged by the thought police.

As I left the ceremony at Wedderburn on Thursday I thought this is a world apart from the activism that is occurring in our cities and the troubles in our inland Aboriginal communities. Everyone seemed to be as one even though as an example of our diversity there are over 10 per cent of students at Wedderburn College identifying as Aboriginal. Then again, maybe the dissenters didn’t attend.

CrHoltistheWedderburnWard representativeonLoddonShireCouncil

1953 letter that started journey of enjoyment

By PETER NORMAN

ON JULY 8, 1953 a letter from the Commonwealth of Australia addressed to Mr and Mrs A G Norman of Little Shelford arrived to tell them that their application to become “ten pound poms” had been approved.

They were sponsored by his brother at Kaniva. On April 8 1954 they were to board the boat train that would take them to Tilbary Dock where they were to board RMS Strathaid for the four week trip to Australia.

RMS Strathaird had been a troop ship during the war and was a one class ship. A receipt for luggage shows that they travelled with 15 pieces of luggage at a total cost of eight pounds two shillings and six pence. This luggage duly arrived at Kaniva railway station, the only casualty on being un packed being the top of a potato dish.

London. Gibraltar, Port Said, Suez canal, Aden, Colombo, Fremantle, Adelaide and Melbourne on May, 1954. A journey of four weeks. On April 27, 1954 we were all “ducked” by King Neptune when we crossed the equator.

Prior to this on March 19, 1953 a “Docu-

ment of Identity” had been issued to my father that contained details of my mother and us six children. This was instead of passports.

It is interesting that recently my sister applied for an Australian pension and because she had not taken out Australian Citizenship she had to produce this document to prove that she came into the country legally. (lucky I still have it!)

On May 8, 1954 we arrived in Melbourne, we were met by my uncle and aunty.

The idea being that the “older” people would stay that night at the Peoples Palace and mum, my aunty and us other kids would go on the Overland to Kaniva. That was okay!

We were overcarried to Serviceton at 5am. What a welcome to Kaniva!

It was undoubtedly a culture shock to my mum and dad. They left a modest two story council house with total central heating to a typical three bedroom weatherboard house. No heating and no air-conditioning, not even a fan.

The first summer was one to remember with almost all the Little Desert alight.

My dad had been a telecom technician, so to begin work as a farm hand was very hard on the hands even though he wore clothes to handle the hay!

They were very brave or very foolish, brave I would say

However, at that time the Kaniva station was not long enough to take all the Overland train in one go and would unload the front of the train and then move forward to disembark the passengers at the rear.

However on this occasion they did not do that but kept going with my mum, aunty and us kids waving frantically at the open door!

My older brother was too old to go to school and soon obtained a job as a painter.

My first day at school I well remember.

Mum took me and I was taken into the office and asked a couple of questions and from my answers they determined what my level was and the class in which i was to go into.

Having been brought up on the round ball game (soccer) I was given an Aussie Rules football.

“Do you play rugger here “ I asked. Could

not then kick the “b” thing and still can’t.

A “Pommy kid” with a strong posh Cambridgeshire accent, barracking for the English cricketers is another story!

Because mum and dad came as ten pound poms , if they returned “home” within two years they had to pay the government the full cost of their fares to Australia.

They very desperately wanted to go home, however because of this requirement they had to stay. Pleased to say at the end of two years they had settled and that’s why I am still here.

I think they were very brave or very foolish, brave I would say.

They purchased 99 Commercial Street, before that they resided at 24 Yarrock Stret Kaniva

They both are now deceased and buried in Horsham.

Their decision at the time has led to six children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren now enjoying the life that we now lead here.

As they say the rest is history.

DEATH NOTICE

SMITH - GEOFFREY THOMAS

24-1-2023. Aged 93

Much loved brother of Shirley and respected brother-in-law of Ken (Dec.) Hargreaves.

Uncle to Greg and Alison, Michelle and Rod, Scott and Wendy and their families.

BEREAVEMENT THANKS

MULQUINY

The Mulquiny & their extended families with much appreciation would like to thank everyone who sent cards, flowers, their condolences, love and support on the passing of Justin (JJ). Each and everyone of you have touched our hearts.

Christopher (Chris)

James Cox

A year of heartache no one can heal, memories of you no one can steal. You asked for little and gave so much. You are remembered with Pride by our family and community Tracey, Peter, Thomas, William, Alexandra and Katherine.

PUBLIC NOTICES

Help shape the catchment’s future

We’re putting the call out for a community member from the region’s west to be part of a key committee and help shape the future of the organisation.

We’re looking or a new member of our Strategic Direction Committee, a subcommittee of the Board that influences, and has input into, a range of important strategies and the delivery of the North Central Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS).

The Strategic Directions committee also supports the development of our Climate Change Action Plan, North Central River Health Strategy 2005, North Central Floodplain Management Strategy 2018-28, and Business Development Strategy.

The committee plays an important role in shaping the CMA’s response to natural resource management across the whole region.

Years of experience is not required. We’re keen to find someone who cares for the environment and wants to contribute to the way their region is managed.

We’d love someone from the region who will build on the diversity of views around the table and there is always room for First Nations representation.

If you’re interested, please call Rachel Murphy on 5448 7124 or email info@nccma.vic.gov.au for more information about the position and how to apply. Applications close March 28, 2023

MEETINGS

Notice of an Application for Planning Approval

The land a ected by the application is located at: Road Reserve adjacent to 2830 Calder Hwy, Derby

The application is for a permit to: Removal of Native Vegetation (to create a south bound passing lane)

The applicant for the permit is: Department of Transport

The application reference number is: 5852

You may look at the application and any documents that support the application at the office of the Responsible Authority.

Loddon Shire Council Offices – 41 High Street Wedderburn VIC 3518

This can be done during office hours and is free of charge.

Please direct any queries to the Planning Department by calling (03) 5494 1200 or emailing planning@loddon.vic.gov.au .

Any person who may be a ected by the granting of the permit may object or make other submissions to the Responsible Authority.

An objection must:

 be in writing

 state how you will be a ected by the granting of the permit  be sent to the Responsible Authority at PO Box 21 Wedderburn 3518

The Responsible Authority will not decide on this application before: 20 February, 2023

If you object, the Responsible Authority will tell you its decision

Notice of Annual General Meeting

Monday 27 February 2023 at 5:30pm Inglewood Town Hall

25 Verdon Street Inglewood

Please join us, RSVP essential by Friday 24 February to: Sharon Williams - ea@idhs.vic.gov.au or telephone 03 5431 7000

WANTED TO BUY

MEETINGS

JOIN OUR TEAM

OPEN ACCESS MEETING

WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2023 AT 2PM

BOORT MEMORIAL HALL SUPPER ROOM

Members of the public are asked to email questions to the meeting organiser prior to the event at Kathryn.Velleley@bdh.vic.gov.au

Alternatively, there will be an opportunity to submit questions during the meeting.

Guest speaker: Claire Edwards, Strategic Plan Consultant

For more information please contact Kathryn Velleley on 5451 5204 or email Kathryn.Velleley@bdh.vic.gov.au

2021-2022 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2023 AT 3PM

BOORT MEMORIAL HALL SUPPER ROOM

Please join us as our Board Chair Wendy Gladman looks back on another extradordinary year at Boort District Health

Including service award presentations and guest speaker Simone O’Brien, Nurse Practioner at Boort District Medical Clinic

Afternoon tea will be available.

Are you looking for a new EXCITING opportunity within the health industry?

Join our vibrant and supportive team IDHS invites applications for the following employment opportunities

 Registered Nurse

Program

 Food & Domestic Services Assistant

 Physiotherapists – Grade 1 or 2

 Occupational Therapist Grade 1

 Health Care Worker – Trainee

To view the full details of the position and how to apply, please visit https://www.idhs.vic.gov.au/positions-vacant

and service to our customers.

This position would suit someone looking to commence or continue their career in Agricultural retail.

This position is full time, and you will be required to work some Saturday mornings on a roster. For a full job description please check our website millerag.com.au/job-opportunities/ Applications close on Friday February 3, 2023.

Bowlers bring end to a good start

ROUND eight of Upper Loddon junior cricket was completed on Saturday, with Arnold and Kingower scoring comfortable wins over their respective opponents, Bridgewater and Wedderburn.

Bridgewater started their chase of Arnold’s total of 183 promisingly, with openers Daisy Stringer and Blake Smyth adding 23 for the opening partnership.

Seth Hewitt finally broke this partnership and followed up with another couple of quick wickets to put Bridgewater on the back foot.

Nate Harrison continued on his good form from last week’s three wickets by defying the bowlers to remain undefeated and be Bridgewater’s top scorer, in their final total of nine for 75.

Hewitt took bowling honours for Arnold while Aaron Thomas took the last two wickets to fall.

Connor Alexander and Georgia Hancock both bowled economical spells whilst also picking up a wicket apiece

A consistent batting display saw the Kingower top order have a series of fruitful partnerships to finish the day with a total of 2-239.

Evan McCoy top scored retiring on 43 while Tyler Murphy, Jackson Luckman, Leah McCoy, Ryder Smith and Isaac JohnsonMcCloud all made significant contributions before retiring.

The Wedderburn bowlers toiled hard with Nash Turner making the early batsmen work hard for their runs. The bowlers stuck to their task and they were finally rewarded late in the day when Otti Clarke and Blaz Cramp both claimed wickets.

Wedderburn plays host to Arnold on Saturday at the Market Square Cricket Ground in their final game for the season.

DAISY’S TOP WEEK Bridgewater’s Daisy Stringer has co-captained the Bendigo girls’ team in under 17 country week cricket, finishing the series with four wickets, a catch and a 40 not out with the bat. Daisy took three wickets in the first match off three overs and conceding just three runs. Her summer weekends are full of cricket with Sundays spent playing in division one of the Bendigo women’s competition where she has taken five wickets in five matches this season. Daisy credits her success with the ball this season to the work of coaches at Bridgewater and Bendigo.

LODDON HERALD

BUSINESS, TRADES & SERVICES

Masterful tricks on show at skiing championships

KRISTY Appleton and Callan Ashcroft were stars of the Australian Ski Masters at Bridgewater on the weekend. The pair won top honours in women’s and men’s sections.

It was Bridgewater Ski Club’s first event since replacing its jump destroyed in the October floods and weekend competition in slalom, jumps and tricks had eager skiers in action.

Banks of the Loddon River were also lined with spectators keen to see the action.

Pups in training for AFL juniors

THE new AFL Central Victoria under 18 football competition is headed to five sides ... still all from the Loddon Valley league.

Pyramid Hill has named Bryden Morison to spearhead the Bulldogs’ return to junior football for the first time since 2019.

The Bulldogs dominated Loddon Valley under 18s in their final three years with a hat-trick of flags.

A shortage of players saw Pyramid Hill withdraw before the COVID-abandoned 2020 season. Morison, a 278-game veteran at Mitchell Park and former club best and fairest has been named coach of the relaunched young Bulldogs.

AFL Central Victoria general manager Craig Armstead last week said: “Pyramid Hill are most likely to have a team and AFL Central Vic are continuing discussions with many other clubs to ensure the maximum number of 17 and 18 year olds are playing AFL football.”

However, the only other confirmed clubs in the new competition are from the Loddon Valley league - Bridgewater, East Loddon Rams, Inglewood and Marong.

While Newbridge wants to see the return of a Maroons’ junior

team, club president Andrew Friswell said earlier last month that the club’s priority was repairs and rebuilding the club’s headquarters damaged in October’s flood emergency.

Armstead said the first round of matches will be played on April 15, a later start than the Loddon Valley season that kicks off before Easter.

“The complete fixture is to be released when all teams are finalised,” he said.

Armstead said the commission would wait as long as possible for more teams to join the competition.

He said there continued to be talks with clubs with either a surplus of junior players or those without numbers currently to field a team with combined teams a possibility.

Armstead said the commission would work to facilitate amalgamated teams for the under 18 competition.

“Clubs and teams from outside AFL CV’s existing geography are invited to express interest,” he said.

Loddon Valley decided late last year to hand its junior competition over to AFL Cetral Victoria.

The under 18 format had been reduced to four teams. East Loddon Rams made their debut in

Club wants major cup meeting in January

WEDDERBURN Harness Racing

Club wants it premier meeting returned to a January date on the calendar.

the 2022 season but Maiden Gully opted not to field an under 18 team.

AFL Central Victoria last week appointed Michael Hartley as manager of the new competition.

Hartley played 49 AFL games with Essendon and Hawthorn and 86 VFL games with Collingwood, Essendon, Box Hill and Coburg. He has level 2 AFL coaching accreditation, and was a development coach with Collingwood Football Club’s VFLM and AFLW teams.

Michael has certificates in sports development, player development management, and fitness. He also spent six years as a volunteer with The Academy which is operated by Essendon.

“Michael is incredibly well credentialed to take on this important position,” Armstead said.

z Meanwhile, the Loddon Valley league board will meet next week where members are expected to discuss a proposal to form teams from its clubs to play in the Bendigo junior league.

Proposals have been put to the league that would allow creation of teams drawing players from multiple clubs under a model similar to the East Loddon Rams.

- CHRIS EARL

Secretary Tom Nisbet made the call last week for the cup meeting to return to a traditional early year date. His comments came as Wedderburn conducted its first meeting of 2023 on the Maryborough club track at Carisbrook.

Donaldson Park is unavailable for racing during construction

works of new facilities. “Monday would have been Wedderburn Cup Day normally but HRV decided that this date would be used for their Industry awards. Well the Industry awards never went ahead and there was no harness racing in Victoria.

“We have been given a date in September for our cup but rest assured that we will fight to have our cup day back on the last Sunday in January 2024,” Nisbet said.

Colts showing top form

BOORT Yando’s under 13-14

cricket side is continuing its strong run towards the Northern Rivers association finals.

The top-placed team had another solid win in Saturday’s home and away round.

Boort won the toss and elected to bowl. An early wicket and some accurate bowling throughout the first innings restricted

Kerang to 7/68. Wickets were claimed by Cooper Gooding, Jacob Malone, Chaise McPherson and Owen Byrne. Boort was consistent and respectful with their batting, with some good controlled hitting from all players. Cooper Gooding 18, Liam King 22 and Jacob Malone 13 saw a final score of 2-108.

Eight will take to ground

EIGHT clubs have been confirmed for Pyramid Hill’s third annual community football and netball day.

The February 25 matches will see Nyah-Nyah West United play Wandella, Ultima meet Newbridge, Leitchville Gunbower clash with Tooleybuc Manangatang and Pyramid

Hill against Boort at Mitchell Park.

Organiser Geoff Hickmott said the eight clubs from five leagues would play games of three 25-minute sessions.

Loddon Valley and Golden Rivers umpires will also use the community day as a hit out for the 2023 season.

Bridgewater club’s Olivia Collicoat in the tricks event. Olivia won the over 21 section. LH PHOTO Lee Bray takes out the over 35 tricks event. LH PHOTO

Under 17 tricks competitor Fyn Mitchell. LH PHOTO

Byes make tussle tight for final spot

WEDDERBURN Junction faces a challenge to make Inglewood association finals after its loss to Fentons Creek at the weekend. With three rounds left in the home and away season, Junction has one of the byes while higher placed Korong Vale plays all three matches.

Loddon Eagles is also finding form, and like the Vale playing in all rounds, could rise higher up the ladder and displace Powlett from top spot.

inGLeWOOD

Wedderburn Junction 10 lost Fentons Creek 14

MEN: T. Lockhart S. Lockhart lost to P. Turnbull L. Holt 6-8. T. Lockhart C. Holt d

P. Turnbull A. Brett 8-6. S. Lockhart C. Holt lost to L. Holt A. Brett 3-8. P. McHugh M.

Burge lost to R. Holt C. Hargreaves 2-8. P.

McHugh Partner lost to C. Hargreaves S.

Polkinghorn 0-8. M. Burge P. McHugh d R. Holt S. Polkinghorn 8-5.

WOMEN: A. Lockhart O. Lockhart d E.

Lockhart S. Turnbull 8-6. A. Lockhart G.

Lockhart d E. Lockhart K. Hayes 8-6. O.

Lockhart O. Lockhart d S. Turnbull K. Bain-

bridge 8-1. J. Millie G. Bird d J. Hayes J.

Polkinghorn 8-4. J. Millie K. Fazzani lost to

J. Hayes R. Ellsmore 4-8. G. Bird K. Fazzani

d J. Polkinghorn R. Ellsmore 8-2.

MIXED: T. Lockhart A. Lockhart d P. Turn-

bull E. Lockhart 8-6. S. Lockhart O. Lock-

hart lost to L. Holt S. Turnbull 5-8. C. Holt G.

Lockhart d A. Brett K. Bainbridge 8-3. Wed-

derburn Junction lost to R. Holt R. Ellsmore

0-8. P. McHugh G. Bird lost to C. Hargreaves

J. Hayes 6-8. M. Burge K. Fazzani lost to S. Polkinghorn J. Polkinghorn 4-8.

Korong Vale 10 lost Powlett 14

MEN: S. Smith J. Turnbulll lost to L. Last T. Johns 6-8. J. Turnbull M. Higgs lost to T. Johns L. Lamprell 2-8. S. Smith M. Higgs lost to L. Last L. Lamprell 4-8. P. Gibson B. McDonald lost to S. Leech B. Lock 4-8. B. McDonald G. Madden d B. Lock J. Luckman 8-1. P. Gibson G. Madden d S. Leech J. Luckman 8-4. WOMEN: C. Smith J. Turnbull lost to A. Leech S. Maher 5-8. J. Turnbull S. Keller lost to S. Maher D. Wayman 4-8. C. Smith

S. Keller lost to A. Leech D. Wayman 3-8. A. Gibson D. William d C. Ugle J. Martin 8-6. D. Williams D. Boumeister d J. Martin D. Nevins 8-0. A. Gibson D. Boumeister d C. Ugle D. Nevins 8-1. MIXED: S. Smith C. Smith lost to L. Last

A. Leech 4-8. J. Turnbull J. Turnbull lost to

T. Johns S. Maher 5-8. M. Higgs S. Keller lost to L. Lamprell D. Wayman 1-8. P. Gibson A. Gibson d S. Leech C. Ugle 8-6. B. McDonald D. Williams d B. Lock D. Nevins 8-2. G. Madden D. Boumeister d J. Luckman J. Martin 8-1.

LODDOn VALLeY

Dingee 4 (101) d Raywood 1 (83)

MEN: A. Hocking M. Lister lost to J. Grieves M. Collins 4-7. A. Hocking R. Lawry lost to J. Grieves J. Sinclair 4-7. M. Lister R. Lawry lost to M. Collins J. Sinclair 2-7. R. Ellis B. Duncan lost to A. Demeo M. Mulgrew 5-7. R. Ellis M. Hocking lost to A. Demeo T. Zahle 6-7. B. Duncan M. Hocking lost to M. Mulgrew T. Zahle 3-7.

LADIES: J. Condliffe K. Pay d S. Demeo J. Diss 7-4. J. Condliffe N. Hocking d S. Demeo J. Demeo 7-2. K. Pay N. Hocking d J. Diss J. Demeo 7-5. K. Ellis J. Pay d R. Demeo C. Sinclair 7-1. K. Ellis E. Lawry d R. Demeo H. Vinnicomb 7-0. J. Pay E. Lawry d C. Sinclair H. Vinnicomb 7-0.

MIXED: J. Condliffe A. Hocking lost to J. Grieves S. Demeo 5-7. N. Hocking R. Lawry lost to M. Collins J. Diss 2-7. K. Pay M. Lister d J. Sinclair J. Demeo 7-2. K. Ellis B. Duncan d A. Demeo R. Demeo 7-3. J. Pay R. Ellis d M. Mulgrew C. Sinclair 7-5. E. Lawry M. Hocking d T. Zahle H. Vinnicomb 7-5. Yarrawalla 5 (112)

d Lake Meran 0 (61)

MEN: L. Forster L. Roberts d T. Robinson E. Moresi 7-3. L. Forster M. Scott d T. Robinson A. Chamberlain\ 7-3. L. Roberts

M. Scott d E. Moresi A. Chamberlain 7-0.

H. Emmerson X. Emmerson d B. Moresi K. Czuczman 7-2. H. Emmerson R. Forster d B. Moresi R. Faxcett 7-6. X. Emmerson R. Forster d K. Czuczman R. Fawcett 7-3. LADIES: C. Emmerson C. Broad d L.

Czuczman C. Moresi 7-0. C. Emmerson

K. Broad d L. Czuczman V. Moresi 7-2. C. Broad K. Broad d C. Moresi V. Moresi 7-2.

M. Schmidt G. Scott lost to C. Downs S. Gale

4-7. M. Schmidt T. Broad d C. Downs O. Emmerson 7-6. G. Scott T. Broad lost to S. Gale

O. Emmerson 4-7.

MIXED: L. Forster C. Emmerson d T. Robinson L. Czuczman 7-2. L. Roberts C.

Broad d E. Moresi V. Moresi 7-2. M. Scott K.

Broad lost to A. Chamberlain C. Moresi 3-7.

H. Emmerson M. Schmidt lost to B. Moresi

C. Downs 3-7. R. Forster G. Scott d K. Czucz-

man S. Gale 7-0. X. Emmerson T. Broad d R.

Fawcett O. Emmerson 7-2. Calivil North 5 (113) d Mincha West 0 (67)

MEN: R. Maxted C. Smith lost to J. Ritchie

D. Mann 4-7. R. Maxted J. Smith d J. Ritchie

D. Stewart 7-2. C. Smith J. Smith lost to D. Mann D. Stewart 6-7. O. Balic

LADIES:

PETER WALSH MP YOUR VOICE IN PARLIAMENT

If

We are family, friends, colleagues and neighbours

The coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on all our lives so looking after your mental wellbeing is essential. It is normal to feel anxious, stressed and fearful during times of crisis. The Federal Government is providing support for the mental health and wellbeing of Australians as we face the challenges of the pandemic; go to www.headtohealth.gov.au if you feel like you might need some additional help coping with anxiety and worry about Coronavirus.

you need advice or assistance with anything related to government, or in your general day-to-day life, please contact my of ce on the details below and

Serpentine’s Tania Twigg in the club’s recent Loddon Valley match. LH PHOTO

Rises and falls in upset round

CALIVIL has taken a tumble and Inglewood is back on top after Saturday’s Bendigo bowls playing area division five matches.

Last year’s grand finalists Dingee pulled off the upset by again exposing erratic form of Calivil three weeks out from the finals.

But Inglewood was the success story of the round. With many players missing and some new additions, they showed what a bit of determination and desire can do.

The rink of the day was Blake Smyth (first game), David Smyth (first game), Robert Stranger (10th game) and Arthur Harrison (wonderful leader of inexperienced bowlers) who had a stunning win of 27-11.

Currently sitting on top of the ladder, but only points in front of the fourth team, there’s no room for form reversal.

For Inglewood division one, it was another disappointing day as they were convincingly beaten by Bendigo.

The lack of a home green, due to it being renovated, is hurting the team big time as practise is very limited.

In last week’s midweek division one round, Inglewood was out gunned again and this time by Bendigo East.

Unfortunately, every rink lost and with three games to go it is time for players to lift and see if they can give the top four a scare as Inglewood is currently sitting in sixth spot on the ladder.

Division five had their biggest loss of the season against South Bendigo.

The game was played on a green that was not of a good standard and some Inglewood players struggled to handle it, especially when the length of ends was long.

Disappointing that some of the big clubs, in Bendigo, cannot pro-

vide better facilities for the playing of pennant games.

The Inglewood Bowling Club were represented in the champion of champions, on Sunday, by Vicky Tierney and Wade Roberts.

Vicky started off slowly but determinedly fought her way back to eventually lose 25-18.

Wade had a bye in the first round, won the second round 25-7 and then in the quarter final had a Titanic battle, with the result in doubt until the last bowl was put down, and losing 25-19.

BRIDGEWATER

The midweek pennant doldrums has hit the team, now on the bottom rung of the ladder.

Near season’s end, it will be difficult to rise. Marg Wright’s four took the Inglewood IGA incentive vouchers with a good performance.

The weekend pennant team also fell, by just five shots.

It was a very good match at home against Marong. So often through this season this Marong division six side, have needed to supply bowlers to club teams in higher divisions.

This time they won two rinks and took the match. John Fagan’s team won a see-sawing encounter to claim the IGA vouchers.

NORTH CENTRAL

Wedderburn has kept hopes of playing finals alive with a six-shot win over higher placed Donald Golf in division two.

A victory will be needed over lower St Arnaud in the final round this weekend.

Wedderburn is assured of playing finals in division one despite going down to Donald Golf who sits just one position higher on the ladder while St Arnaud sits in fourth spot on the ladder.

PENNANT RESULTS

14 clubs at tournament

BOORT Bowls Club held its annual Australia Day tournament which was well attended by clubs from Daylesford, Echuca, Serpentine, Wedderburn, Wycheproof, Donald Golf, Pyramid Hill, Boort, Charlton, Cohuna Golf, Cohuna, Inglewood and Kangaroo Flat.

Three games of three-bowl pairs over 12 ends were played. Winners - Kevin Gibson (s) Les Healey - 85 points (Daylesford). Runners-up - Daniel Garrett (s) (Inglewood) Scott Rollinson ((Serpentine) 83 points.

Highest winning marginGame 1: Tony Cooper team (Kangaroo Flat) 21 shots. Game 2: Kevin Walton team (Boort) 23 shots. Game 3: Bob Montebello team (Wedderburn) 25 shots.

BENDIGO

Division 1 – Bendigo 111-18 d Inglewood

53-0. T Magnusson, D Harvey, M Hocking, L Hoskin (s) d B McClymont, J Jackman, G Jackson R Day (s) 24-13. S Priest, B Morley, T Arnold, B Byrne (s) d D Garrett, A Noonan, J Nevins, M McLean (s) 34-12. J Matthews, L Manning, G Woodward, I Ross (s) d M Chamberlain, D Wilson, G Wilson, I Chamberlain (s) 31-13. J Jennings, R Murray, M Anderson, A Brown (s) d V Tierney, D Vanston, L Kelly, W Roberts (s) 22-15.

Ladder: Moama 188, Bendigo 186, South Bendigo 170, Golden Square 166, Bendigo East 165, Eaglehawk 145, Kangaroo Flat 94, Castlemaine 87, Marong 77, Inglewood 72

Division 3 – Bendigo 61-2 lost to Serpentine 94-16. G Herne, R Angove, J Moore, C Runnalls (s) lost to B Catto, B Tuohey, J Stuart, N Tonkins (s) 21-33. M McQualter, J Beecham, J Ovenden, V White (s) lost to K Canfield, L Cadzow, S Rudkins, B Gladman (s) 7-27. G Painter, A Gillies, A Verbaan, V Greenwood (s) lost to S Rollinson, R Hasty, A Bish, D Anset (s) 14-20. S Lord, B Bendow, R Matthews, M Lord (s) d J Collinson, G Addlem, B Long, R Gladman (s) 19-15.

Ladder: North Bendigo 139, Strathfieldsaye 133, South Bendigo 130, Kangaroo Flat 107, Bendigo East 92, Heathcote 73, Serpentine 66, Bendigo 52. Division 5 – Campbells Creek 77-2 lost to Inglewood 88-16. B Van der Horst, C Gallagher, M Rhodes, M Holland (s) lost to P Lyndon, K Stewart, H Leech, I Bradley (s) 13-24. K Gallagher, B Ellis, I Trevena, I Brooks (s) d G Sommers, C Ward, P Kelly,

D Whitehead (s) 32-15. R Harding, C Bull, T Woodman, P McKendry (s) lost to B Smyth, D Smyth, R Stranger, A Harrison (s) 11-27.

L Laracy, J Harding, J McMennemin, D Goulding (s) lost to D Andrew, T Birthisel, B Moffat, B Taig (s) 21-22.

Calivil 76-4 lost to Dingee 82-14. I Mansbridge, M Dennis, A Dennis, N Dennis (s) lost to A Hay, J Monaghan, R Thompson, B Lawry (s) 17-29. B Meighan, G Lourie, W Miles, A Leech (s) lost to K Pollock, V Sproull, M Grieves, F Grieves (s) 19-20. R Lourie, H Miles, G Ray, G Maxted (s) d L Hocking, A Sproull, Lyn Demeo, Leo Demeo (s) 19-17. K Richards, R Boyd, J Pickles, L Gronow (s) d T Kavanagh, P Plant, B West, N Lister (s) 21-16.

Ladder: Inglewood 139, Kangaroo Flat 134, Marong 132, Calivil 131, Castlemaine 84, Dingee 62, Strathfieldsaye 61, Campbells Creek 49. Division 6 – Bridgewater 67-4 lost to Marong 72-14. G Catto, F Shea, R Brown, G Mangan (s) lost to C Pyle, J Farrell, R Kelly, P Williams (s) 15-17. N Saunders, I Clutton, R Broadbent, J Fagan (s) d R Pyle, G Dunbar, J Tate, J Rathbone (s) 23-19. C Brooshooft, D Grant, A Harrison, R Smith (s) d E Gretgrix, V Nemeth, R Gurnett, J Leed (s) 18-17.

Ladder: Harcourt 149, Kangaroo Flat 139, Bendigo 127, South Bendigo 110, Woodbury 103, Bridgewater 71, White Hills

59, Marong 34.

Midweek - Division 1 – Eaglehawk 85-

15 d Inglewood 50-1. J Carter, I Godkin, S Piercy, P Godkin (s) drew C McEwan, H Leech, G Wilson, R Day (s) 20-20. B Brackley, P Jughes, R Rowe, K Rowe (s) d B Mc-

Clymont, B Taig, A Caserta, L Kelly (s) 2818. J Robertson, M Watts, L Robertson, S Carter (s) d M Chamberlain, P Lyndon, I Chamberlain, L Witham (s) 37-12. Ladder: Eaglehawk 133, Golden Square 118, Kangaroo Flat 106, South Bendigo 103, Bendigo East 103, Inglewood 84, Bendigo 78, White Hills 43. Division 4 – Harcourt 65-12 d Calivil Serpentine 64-4. S Oxley, F Harman, R Maltby, H Baird (s) lost to J Wiltshire, H Gronow, K Richards, D Walker (s) 23-30. J Starbuck, R Douglas, K Francis, L Harding (s) d L Dennis, L Lister, N Ralphs, C Mitchell (s) 24-15. M Straw, V Maltby, K Grant, C McAuliffe (s) lost to I Mansbridge, J Clymo, C Maxted, S Hope (s) 18-19. Dingee 67-14 d Golden Square 52-2. A Hay, V Sproull, K Pollock, M Grieves (s) d F Davies, J Brennan, J Holcombe, M Petersen (s) 21-14. S Ellis, P Plant, B West, F Grieves (s) lost to L Whiffin, J McKinstry, E O’Neill, L Power (s) 21-22.

Ladder: South Bendigo 165, White Hills 108, Golden Square 108, Dingee 98, Calivil Serpentine 87, Harcourt 82, Bendigo VRI 62, Campbells Creek 58.

NORTH CENTRAL

Division 1 – Wedderburn 63-2 lost to Donald Golf 79-10. G Burnside, D Mason, I Hall, L Witham (s) lost to D Peake, A Bayles, R Reseigh, G Rigby (s) 13-34. A Holt, C Mills, R Montebello, A Jackson (s) d W Livingston, M Frank, S Hollis, P Hibberd (s) 30-15. B Hargreaves, A Noordennen, A Caserta, N Holt (s) lost to M Livingston, G Geddes, T

Hollis, D Pettifer (s) 20-30. St Arnaud Country 80-12 d Boort 57-0. M Pole, L Lynch, J Nevill, J Abbott (s) d P Waters, J Maxted, L Maxted, S Morris (s) 28-18. K Meade, T McDonald, W Rodger, M Esmore (s) d K Birt, G Gardner, T Moresi, K Ritchie (s) 27-18. T Marland, G Fullarton, J Needs, S Elliott (s) d D Gibson, K Walton, J Gibson, K De Piazza (s) 25-21. Ladder: Wycheproof 129, Donald Golf 113, Wedderburn 102, St Arnaud 86, St Arnaud Country 74, Donald 51, Charlton 42, Boort 27.

Division 2 – Wedderburn 80-10 d Donald Golf 74-2. B Green, N White, S Standfield, R Hall (s) lost to M Flagg, C Raynes, A Frank, S O’Shea (s) 17-40. R Guelfo, A Benaim, L Holt, L Standfield (s) d A Humphrey, B Dixon, G Stopps, L Borden (s) 3015. R Ashley, K Griffiths, W Roberts, A Roberts (s) d R Adams, B Brasier, P Raynes, G Wood (s) 33-19.

St Arnaud 94-12 d Boort 46-0. G White, P Jorgensen, N Robinson, A Marland (s) d P Gould, J Hampson, J Earl, A Matley (s) 27-

14. A Bond, P Mullins, D McAllister, C Webb (s) d L Gardner, J Nelson, G Tweddle, T Noles (s) 39-15.

Ladder: Wycheproof 113, St Arnaud Country 108, Donald Golf 96, Werdderburn 82, Donald 80, Boort 65, St Arnaud 58, Charlton 22.

Midweek - St Arnaud Country 53-1 lost to Boort 90-11. M Pole, E McDonald, C Bond, H Esmore (s) lost to Y Cashen, G Tweddle, T Noles, I Merce (s) 17-30. F Rodger, K Meade, P Goode, A Marland (s) drew P Baker, J Gibson, J Maxted, L Maxted (s) 23-

23. Y Nevill, S Wright, R Pole, D Moulday (s) lost to P Gould, A Matley, D Gibson, T Moresi (s) 13-37.

Wedderburn 94-12 d Donald Golf 50-0. H Stephenson, S Steel, R Hall, A Jackson (s) d C Stopps, B Pearce, M Frank, G Stopps (s) 43-15. R Witham, S Standfield, J Murnane, L Witham (s) d J Pearce, C Rayes J Hollis, S Hollis (s) 28-17. G Hunter, R Little, I Hall, A Roberts (s) d L Borden, E Brasier, T Boyd, B Dixon (s) 23-18.

Ladder: Wedderburn 101, Boort 86, St Arnaud 84, Donald 81, Wycheproof 69, Charlton 68, Donald Golf 48, St Arnaud Country 39.

NORTHERN

Division 2 - Cohuna Golf 65-12 d PyramiDivision 2 - Pyramid Hill 36-0 lost to Cohuna 67-12. R Harris, C Cauchi, M Noelker, I Bartels (s) lost to A Ainger, K Peace, L Mathers, S Baskott (s) 9-29. G Moon, W Boyd, E Carmody, M Scott (s) lost to K Foreman, G Beck, M Meredith, R Ballard (s) 1418. G Tate, J Mann, K Wood, L Mann (s) lost to M Main, J Hipwell, B Main, N Hosking (s) 13-20.

Division 3B – Pyramid Hill 34-0 lost to Kerang Golf 64-12 A Fidler, D Demaine, J Cauchi, P Reynolds (s) lost to S Phillips, S Robinson, B McLeish, G Borg (s) 14-23. G Godward, M Mahoney, R FIdler, A Bennett (s) lost to K Chase, A Lancaster, R Curtis, J McKerrow (s) 11-16. A Roberts, R Boyd, T Stobaus, L Dingwall (s) lost to J Duckworth, M Fisher, M Rawson, R Malseed (s) 9-25. Ladder: Kerang Golf 106, Barham 102, Kerang 94, Pyramid Hill 82, Cohuna 52.

Lorraine Dingwall (Pyramid Hill) and Kevin Walton (Boort) at the Australia Day tournament. LH PHOTO

Tournament runner-up Daniel Garrett. LH PHOTO

SPORT

Isaac has a field day

ISAAC Holt was constantly jumping for joy at Wedderburn’s Market Square on Saturday.

Four catches and two wickets stamped Holt as a key player in Weddburn’s victory over Arnold.

The first wicket came early, Holt opening the bowling and having Phil Scholes caught by Luke Holt in the first over.

Scholes’ departure left Ryan Metelmann to keep the Redbacks’ hopes ticking with some heartbeat as the stream of dismissals continued.

Metelmann and Michael Dale ticked the scored along to 30 when Holt claimed his second wicket and first catch of the game.

Opener Metelmann was caught by Holt nine runs later off a Shelton delivery.

Jaspa Wendels, back after missing much of the season with a thumb injury, was finding his feet and occasionally the gap while Arnold skipper Cam Dale took the lead and briefly settled the Redbacks.

Then Tom Kirk had his turn with the ball and menacingly ripped through the middle order.

He had Wendels clean bowled while Kale Hewett-Scull, one of the Arnold youngsters stepping

into senior ranks this season, put in a valiant effort pushing balls towards the boundary. Wedderburn’s Adam Postle, finished his seven overs without wickets, but made runs difficult and conceded just eight for the stint.

Arnold was all out 103 in just under 33 overs. Wedderburn needed just 22 to overtake the reigning premiers and re-install itself on top of the Upper Loddon ladder.

Wendels had better success with the ball for Arnold, claiming the Wedderburn openersironically each making nine runs - but the steady partnerships featuring Kirk, Luke and Isaac Holt saw Wedderburn comfortably reach the target.

Isaac Holt would top score with 42 before caught by Hill off Power’s bowling.

The bright point from Arnold’s time in the field was its ball efficiency, with just five extras recorded.

Cam Dale and Alan Davies had the Redbacks’ best figures for the afternoon while Wendels’ return will provide depth in the bowling attack in the final handful of remaining home and away games.

Wedderburn has its final bye this weekend.

Slatter ends stoic Staniforth’s stint keeping Bull hopes alive

A GALLANT stint at the crease by Tom Staniforth was not enough to see Bridgewater into triple figures on Saturday.

The Bulls were all out in under 30 overs as Boort Yando’s Blake Slatter tore the tail apart in his four-over spell, giving away just nine runs.

Slatter then removed last-man standing Staniforth for 31.

The early damage was done by Alex Cockerell and skipper Jarrod Hordoras whose deliveries were nicked by Bridgewater openers Tom and Harry McKinley straight into the hands of wicketkeeper Joshua Smith.

At 2-11 the Bulls were in trouble and could not recover.

Boort Yando was in a whisker of trouble early when Tom McKinley had Smith out lbw for six but Bear batted on with Hodoras to take the score to 30 when the McKinley brothers swamped for another wicket.

Hordoras, Cockerell and finally Slatter took Boort Yando into winning position in just 26 overs.

Boort Yando declared when Slatter was caught behind the wicket by Staniforth off Naughton’s bowling.

Tom McKinley was easily the best of Bridgewater’s bowlers. His tight deliveries saw three maidens, a bright spot in a tough day for the Bulls.

Bowling averages

THIS WEEK

Bridgewater v Arnold, KIngower v Boort Yando, Wedderburn

LADDER

O M R W B Av Str

Tom McKinley (Bridgewater) 56 10 169 18 5/22 9.39 18.67

Kyle Simpson (Kingower) 61 8 227 17 4/10 13.35 21.53

Fergus Bear (Boort Yando) 62 3 295 17 5/49 17.35 21.88

Jayden Leach (Kingower) 55.5 16 122 14 3/17 8.71 23.93

Tom Kirk 30 8 102 13 6/24 7.85 13.85

Batting averages

M NO HS Runs Av

Braydon Welsh (Kingower) 7 2 133* 375 75.00

Harry McKinley (Bridgewater) 8 1 110 283 40.43

Tom Kirk (Wedderburn) 5 3 112* 203 113.00

Alex Cockerell (Boort Yando) 9 2 57* 190 463.50

Matthew Rowe (Kingower) 8 0 54 189 63.70

Boort Yando’s Fergus Bear in Saturday’s crucial win over Bridgewater. LH PHOTO

Isaac Holt celebrates another wicket on Saturday. LH PHOTO

Kale Hewett-Scull tries the slice for Arnold. LH PHOTO

sport

Thursday February 2, 2023

INJURY SCARE

By CHRIS EARL

THE season of gun Upper Loddon cricketer

Braydon Welsh is under a cloud after a football training injury last week.

The swashbuckling Kingower skipper has a suspected torn ACL injury - his second in two years.

Walsh, who is heading the cricket association batting averages and hit a career best 134 not out before Christmas, was injured

Season in doubt for swashbuckling bat

at training with Bendigo league club Golden Square last Wednesday.

He is waiting on results from an MRI scan expected back this week.

“We were doing some straight sprints at (football training) when the bloke in front pulled up quick and so did I,” Welsh said on Mon-

Blakes switches to underarm bowling

BLAKE Smyth has had the ideal debut in pennant bowls.

With father Dave, the 14-yearold East Loddon student was a “fill-in” for Inglewood’s division five team in Saturday’s Bendigo playing area encounter against Campbells Creek.

Blake played the lead position in Arthur Harrison’s rink that scored a 27-11 victory and helped propel Inglewood to match-day honours and a return to top position on the ladder.

Arthur has been mentoring Blake who said he enjoys the friendship and atmosphere of the Inglewood club.

A regular in the Bridgewater junior cricket lineup, Blake said it had taken time to switch from bowling overarm to the underarm style of lawn bowls.

“It was difficult getting used

to it for a while but you always practice,” he said.

Robert Stranger and father Dave completed the winning week. “It’s really good playing with Dad, spending more time with him ... strengthening the bond,” Blake said.

Blake’s interest in lawn bowls stemmed from watching family friend Wade Roberts play on the Inglewood greens.

“I decided to have a go and ended up loving it ... the game, the people, the club ... and my Christmas present was a set of bowls,” he said. “I’m always learning about the game and Arthur is a great mentor.”

And when he’s not playing cricket or lawn bowls, Blake is helping his parents at their Inglewood cafe.

- CHRIS EARL

day. “I heard a crack ... the same right knee as last year. I don’t feel as though it’s an ACL but will have to wait and see what the results say and take it from there.

“It might just be a a matter of taking a few weeks off and being ready for finals.”

Welsh said there had been some soreness in his left knee,

probably caused by overusing “and then the bad knee decided to have a hiccup,” he said.

Welsh’s absence from the Kingower lineup has seen the side slip from top spot on the association ladder after gaining the coveted position with a win over Wedderburn when the season resumed from the Christmas break.

With Welsh unavailable a fortnight ago, Kingower went down to Bridgewater. The ‘Gower had the bye on Saturday.

He has been the top wicketkeeper with seven catches for

the season plus another two in the field.

With the bat he has an average of 75 in seven matches and has hit a total of 375 runs, ahead of Bridgewater’s Harry McKinley with 283 in eight matches.

Kingower on Saturday takes on Boort Yando. When they last met, Kingower with Welsh top scoring on 54, won by 39 runs. Welsh also had three catches that day. Bridgewater meets Arnold this Saturday.

REPORTS, SCOREBOARDS

- PAGE 23