THE RAILWAY HOTEL

Bottles, green and all, on the wall

JED Paton is fast running out of wall space for his growing collection of bottles.

The nine-year-old has already displayed more than 450 bottles of all shapes, sizes and colours since getting the collector’s bug and searching bushland around the family’s home at Inglewood.

He is even venturing to clearing sales across the district hoping to pick up a bargain.

Jed has a reputation for determination to win at auction. “They don’t seem to bid against me,” he said.

The pride and joy of Jed’s expanding collection quickly filling a garage wall is find No 1.

Jed said he was looking for bottles in Old Inglewood bushland when he discovered a blue castor oil bottle, possibly from the turn of the previous century.

“I have found bottles as old as the 1850s,” he said. Among the more unique is one stamped EP Johns Inglewood.

But there are risks associated with Jed’s bushland bottle hunts, once being bitten by a bullant.

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Parts of Jed’s collection is being displayed in a tobacco cabinet that was at Inglewood’s Adelphi Hotel that last served thirsty patrons in 1914.

Jed’s fascination with bottles and history has already seen him as a guest speaker at the town’s historical society.

“It’s fun finding bottles and going to auctions and sales to try and buy more

Recovery specialist heads speakers

EMERGENCY recovery specialist Rob Gordon will be guest speaker at a Loddon Shire community dinner next month.

Dr Gordon has worked with communities recovering from fire and floods since the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires.

He will speak in Boort on different ways people may be thinking and feeling following the October flood emergency in the Loddon.

Dr Gordon will be joined by Sally Cunningham from the National Centre for Farmer Health and Anna McGee from Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria West.

RFCS was among the first assistance agencies on the ground in Loddon communities after waters receded and the team continues to make weekly visits to local communities.

A shire spokesperson said the flood recovery team was also in the early stages of planning for future events.

“Future events will be based on community needs identified over the coming weeks and months,” they said.

“This (first) event is for all shire residents, we encourage everyone to attend and get the benefit of renowned speaker, Rob Gordon, and our other guest speakers.

“Council is working with State and Federal Government colleagues to source funding for this event.”

New teachers start

WEDDERBURN College has three new teachers in its primary classes this year.

Hannah Douglas (Year 6), Mel Anderson (Year 4) and Rebbecca Torney (Year 3) have been welcomed by principal Danny Forrest. Wedderburn is still to apppoint a teacher of Indonesian for the year.

Meanwhile, tutor Meredith Thompson is the new member of staff at Boort District School.

for the collection,” Jed said. Grandfather Howard Rochester is also encouraging Jed’s interest in bottle collecting and regularly drives him to auctions.

And as for the family’s collection of mining memorabilia from the 19th century, Jed thinks he may need to take over some of the space its uses to store bottles in boxes found on a recent scout of local bushland.