Loddon Herald 19 May 2022

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Vol 2 No 18 THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022 ISSN 2653-1550

QUALITY FABRIC

THE LODDON’S strong social fabric was keeping local communities positive.

Active Farmers’ founder and outgoing chief executive officer Ginny Stephens gave the praise at the closing ceremony of Sunday’s Run for Resilience.

Ms Stephens and other Active Farmers’ board members were in Bridgewater for the run that brought hundreds of participants from across local Loddon towns and the region.

Carloads of participants also ventured down from New South Wales for the run promoting roral community resilience and wellbeing.

Ms Stephens said social fabric was a metaphor for how well community members interacted among themselves.

She said an enhanced social fabric provided more and better interactions to help others in need “and keep the village positive ... and it’s incredible to see the strong social fabric here”.

Ms Stephens said the support in local communities after the tragic passing of Lesley Morrison last year was a sign of that strong fabric.

The 5km course on Sunday was named Fitty’s Five in honour of Lesley with husband Scott Morrison being joined by many family members for the run.

Lesley had been a member of Active Farmers and her enthusiasm for community volunteering was recognised throughout the morning by event organiser

Claire Harrison and other members of the local committee.

And as a major event on the eve of National Volunteers Week, organisers also had support from St Mary’s Inglewood Primary School and Inglewood Fire Brigade.

The spirit of community and its fabric was also backed up by Lesley’s mother Bernie Fithall who thanked the Inglewood and Bridgewater communities for “helping us get through”.

Claire thanked her volunteers

Trevor Nancarrow leads his bunch of runners through Sunday morning’s fog.

who had marked out courses around Bridgewater for the 5km and 10km runs and from Inglewood where the 21km run had started in heavy fog on Sunday morning.

“Run for Resilience is about helping our rural communities, bringing people together and becoming stronger,” she said.

“After two COVID-foiled attempts to hold the run in 2021, we succeeded.”

PICTORIAL SPECIAL - PAGES 16 & 17

Pub verandah back to court A BID to make safe the Royal Hotel Inglewood verandah is expected to return to court on Monday.

A magistrates’ court hearing two months ago ordered the owner, Jika Jika Land Pty Ltd, to complete work within 60 days. Loddon Shire sought the order.

The court-ordered deadline to complete work was yesterday.

Barriers have surrounded part of the heritage building for almost two years.

The company’s Stephen Prior has said the verandah will now be restored after earlier receiving conditional planning approval from council to remove the verandah.

It’s incredible to see the strong social fabric here - Ginny Stephens

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SPECIAL FEATURE INSIDE TODAY

LH PHOTOS

2 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

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HERE’S been a cynical offering from Bradley of Boort in the final days of the federal election campaign. Appended to the Treemendous Sign has been Bradley’s commentary on what can happen in forming a new Parliament as the result of the good voters of Australia exercising their democratic responsibility.

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ALKING about exercising responsibility, the garrulous mob who masquarade as football umpires were lamenting the nonappearance of one of their own in OTF. They have reason, quite rightly we believe, that this said person had been enjoying the laughter-laden banter resulting from his colleagues copping regular mentions. They are now suggesting the said umpire should take charge of the next social barbecue after training ... where he can be roasted accordingly for transmitting information to OTF and be officially dubbed Luckless Grills.

No doubt they were inspired by the wellcooked fare on the barbie at Serpentine on Saturday.

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ASN’T it just wonderful so see so many flock to Bridgewater for the Active

Farmers’ Run for Resilience on Sunday.

Jany the raffle table queen again excelled in having, not raffles this time, but the many spot prizes exquisitely arranged. She’s a legend at laying out the prizes! If only the umpires had been there to run the course.

P

ERHAPS the raffle is this coming weekend when the election is held. This is what Groucho Marx once said about the game: “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.”

H

ERE at OTF, we’re a bit of a fan of Sir Winston Churchill. The old warhorse had this to say about the game: “A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.”

Greek philosopher Plato might have got it right when he said: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

A

NYWAY, as a pollie once said, no matter what happens on election day, the sun still comes up on Sunday.

70 years on ... Kevin Sutton under the 1953 Queen’s tree.

New tree for a Queen BRITAIN at the weekend was awash with pomp and ceremony for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

And in a fortnight, the Boort community will plant a new tree honouring her long reign just as it did when the Queen’s coronation took place on June 2, 1953.

On that day, school children from across the district gathered in Nolens Park.

Kevin Sutton and Paul Haw were among the crowd, two students from the Yando school in what Paul says was “the only ex-

cursion we ever had at primary school”.

Both will be in the park for the planting of the tree by Boort District School Year 6 students and school captains with a barbecue to celebrate the occasion.

Organised by the town’s tourism and development committee, Paul said an attempt had been made to obtain Federal Government funding for a jubilee tree before the election was called but no response was received.

Take two for arts trail planning THE Loddon’s first official arts trail weekend will be held in October.

After plans were scuttled by COVID restrictions last year, it was announced this week that the trail will be on October 22 and 23.

And Loddon Shire wants local artists and creatives to be part of the trail that will take visitors to the region through communities and towns.

Expressions of interest to the tourism team will close at the end of next month.

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Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 3

Child care fund pledge WEDDERBURN will get a child care centre if the Coalition wins November’s State election.

Ripon MP Louise Staley made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon for co-location of the centre at Wedderburn College.

Ms Staley has been at the forefront of the Loddon campaign for child care facilities and presented a petition to State Parliament.

Ms Staley said a Coalition government would ensure part of

the $12.9 million allocated in the 2022 State Budget for major works at the college “is used to create a much-wanted childcare centre co-located at Wedderburn College”.

“The community has been crying out for more care options for children in Wedderburn, and the school redevelopment presents an important opportunity to deliver a new childcare centre,” Ms Staley said.

“A lack of appropriate child

care has a detrimental impact on a community, forcing parents to choose between caring for their children and returning to the workforce.”

“Communities like Wedderburn need a government that listens and delivers the services the community needs.”

“Only a Liberal Nationals Guy Government will deliver a new Wedderburn child care centre.”

Communities in the Loddon Shire are currently a child care

centre desert. Local communities started their campaign for action and solutions to the crisis a year ago.

Two options have since been put on the table - co-location of child care centres with schools or kindergartens and government rebates and assistance to encourage businesses to open in local communities. Loddon Shire has included child care as a priority in its election year document for federal and state candidates.

IN BRIEF Tank supply A SPECIAL coupling has been installed with the new tank at John Forbes Oval, Mitiamo that will give the town’s fire brigade greater access to water.

Brigade member Geoff Thomas said the tank was connected to the Mitiamo pipeline and “will make an enormous difference to the watering of the oval, both in the quality and quantity of water available”.

“The tank also has a CFA coupling which will enable the local CFA unit to fill the truck without having to draw water from the town water mains,” he said.

Events in print THE Loddon’s new event brochure is about to head into print. Shire tourism staff are preparing entries for the updated brochure and want event organisers to have information submitted by May 27. The brochure will cover events in local communities from July 1 to June 30 next year. Events can be submitted by email to loddonvisitorinformation@ loddon.vic.gov.au

Club tribute EAST Loddon Garden Club has paid tribute to two members who have recently passed away including inaugural president Mary Taylor.

President Christine Fitchett said both Mary and Joan White were remembered fondly by the club.

Brigade boost ROLLING ALONG: Charlton’s Rod Heritage selling wheels of all sorts in Wedderburn on Saturday. LH PHOTO

Swap meet success ROD HERITAGE and Len Keating were among 90 stallholders at Saturday’s Wedderburn swap meet.

Rod, of Charlton, was selling wheels and collectables and said he always made a point of being at the Wedderburn meet that this year attracted stallholders from across Victoria and New South Wales.

“And it’s also a good chance to promote our swap meet later in the year,” Rod said.

For Len, from Wycheproof, a recent house demolition job yielded the bonus old hessian bags that he sold from a trailer

neatly parked in front of a camp fire and tent that was bed overnight before crowds started arriving when gates opened at 7am.

The meet was organised by Wedderburn Historical Engine and Machinery Society and president Trevor Bailey said it was the second year running with 90 stallholders.

“We used to get 40 or 50 but now there have 90 for two years,” he said.

“Everything we organised went well. We couldn’t control the weather,” Trevor said as more rain fall around midday.

MEMBERS of the Australian Caravan Club have given Bridgewater Fire Brigade a $600 boost. Member recently stayed at the town’s caravan park for a weekend of activities with fundraising for a local group part of the itinerary.

Broken crossarm

Len Keating bags a good site at the swap meet. LH PHOTO

POWERCOR crews worked to restore power to customers in Boort after a fault occurred on the network last Thursday. Crews responded to a broken crossarm on a pole in the Borung area at 6.39pm which interrupted power for 495 customers.

Customers had power restored by 8.16pm.

4 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 ADVERTISEMENT

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DINNER SPEAKER Loddon Shire chief executive officer Lincoln Fitzgerald was guest speaker at the Kooyoora Women’s Network dinner. He is pictured with Mary Davidson (left) and Pam King after outlining plans to attract more people to the shire, creating opportunities and making basic services more accessible, affordable housing and jobs.

LH PHOTO

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MORE than 20,000 Mallee residents have already voted at pre-poll ahead of Saturday’s federal election.

Australian Electoral Commission on Tuesday also said 12,882 postal vote applications had been received.

The number of early voters in Mallee is currently 27.5 per cent of total enrolment and the AEC has warned that if the election is close, there may be delays in the official count.

At the 2019 election, almost there were almost 40,000 pre-poll votes and just under 7000 postal votes cast.

Pre-poll centres across Mallee, including Maryborough, are open all week and votes will be counted on Saturday night at the AEC office in Bendigo.

However, it will be next week before postal votes are added to candidate totals.

Polling booths open at 8am Saturday and close at 6pm. Booth votes will be counted and results relayed to Bendigo where votes will later be taken for further counts and checks.

There will be one less polling booth in the Loddon with Mitiamo not operating for this election after just 59 votes were cast there three years ago.

Mallee candidates have spent the final week at pre-poll centres handing out their how-to-vote cards after most were in the Loddon last week for a final tour of towns.

On the marginal cusp?

Candidates have last say - Page 12

Fired up and sizzling away, that’s democracy SAUSAGES will be sizzling at Inglewood and Bridgewater when voters arrive at polling booths for Saturday’s federal election.

Inglewood Primary School parents and friends will raise money towards new Apple iPens for Prep students and wa-

ter coolers for the whole school. And at Bridge-water, Campbells Forest Community Action Planning Group will be raising funds for local projects.

The two groups are among hundreds registered on the Democracy Sausage website.

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THE Loddon burst through a COVID milestone last Thursday when the number of cases recorded since the pandemic started more than two years went above 1000.

And there are likely to have been more than 1100 cases recorded by the end of this week.

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State Government data on Tuesday recorded a further 17 new cases taking the total to 1089.

The latest statistics show there were 97 active cases.

Residents have been encouraged to have their third COVID vaccine and flu shots.

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 5

Family, town remember Graeme COMMUNITY stalwart Graeme Erbs has been remembered with the unveiling of a plaque in the park he helped establish.

Newbridge residents and Graeme’s family recalled his 30 years of community service until his death last year during the brief ceremony on Saturday.

George Wyatt said Graeme had been a founder of the town’s progress association when he swapped Melbourne life as a mathematics teacher for a posting to Bendigo Senior Secondary College.

“The progress association saw the potential of the hall and vacant block opposite the hotel/CFA now referred to as Progress Park, as areas to encourage people to stop and rest in Newbridge,” George said.

“The association then started raising funds to begin beautification of these areas by building a barbecue, tables and

seats. Their beautification efforts went to organising a clean-up of the Newbridge tip and a tree planting working bee at the tip to grow plants to help reduce the plastic litter blown from the tip into neighbouring properties.

“The avenue of trees seen upon entering and leaving Newbridge via the Wimmera Highway was also a result of work by this progress association,” George said.

“The Newbridge Hall verge was also part of this beautification project long before community plans were introduced “ George said Graeme continued to be involved with the community by attending community plan meetings.

He joined the Newbridge Social Club and had been an active member in all fundraising events they held since being formed.

Graeme worked for the Loddon Shire

after he retired from teaching and managed Work for the Dole participants and installed numbers for rural properties on roads throughout the area.

Graeme had been an active member of the Loddon Shire Australia Day committee.

“His commitment to teaching extended to tutoring local secondary school students, adolescents who were wanting to pass entrance exams to the military, into plumbing or the police force,” George said.

“His support has also been extended to friends in Melbourne hosting their adult offspring with accommodation whilst completing apprentice schooling at TAFE in Bendigo. He has also provided paid casual work for some local people not then employed.”

George said Graeme was remembered as a strong advocate for Newbridge.

WEBSTER, Anne

To vote for Sophie Baldwin - Independent for Mallee:

THE NATIONALS

1

Camping signs will go up on river grazing land GOVERNMENT officials have started arriving at Loddon River farms as new riverfront camping sites are announced.

Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning staff moved through private property on Tuesday to access one site near Bridgewater.

The department has told riverfront Crown land licence holders that staff “may undertake minor works including the installation of signage to remind visitors of the rules and their obligations, and a map representing the camping area”.

While the Government says the opening of camping areas will coincide with sites being listed on the DEWLP website, the department told licence holders confirmation of an anticipated date would be “provided soon”.

However, at least one Loddon River site was listed without notification of a start date.

The Loddon Herald reported last week that five Loddon River sites had been added to the website. More are expected under the Government’s new policy.

BALDWIN, Sophie INDEPENDENT

HAENEL, Claudia INDEPENDENT

Place a 1 in the box next to Sophie’s name.

Graeme’s nieces Jane Duncanson (left) and Tracey Gallagher with George Wyatt unveil the plaque. LH PHOTO

The late Graeme Erbs

LAHY, Chris CITIZENS PARTY

HART, Carole

TY AUSTRALIAN LABOR PAR

Then place McCOLL, Sam THE GREENS a 2 in your William second-most KING, Stuart PAR TY LIA TRA AUS TED d UNI preferre candidate’s box nessa ATKINSON, Va E NATION and so on, until PAULINE HANSON’S ON all the boxes have been filled.

You MUST number every box for your vote to count!

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MINOR PARTIES & OTHER INDEPENDENTS

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MAJOR PARTIES THE NATIONALS, LABOR & GREENS

This is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to give the power of parliament back to the people of Mallee.

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6 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

Auditor report takes CAROLE HART LABOR FOR MALLEE whack at ward community grants ADVERTISEMENT

VOTE

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Electoral division of MALLEE.

Step 1.

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Start here and you must number every box.

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WEBSTER, Anne

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BALDWIN, Sophie

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Authorised by Chris Ford, Australian Labor Party, Victorian Branch. 438 Docklands Drive, Docklands 3008.

A SNAP review by Victoria’s Auditor-General into Loddon Shire has questioned the council’s 20-year-old annual ward grant program.

Loddon was one of six councils “selected at random” for the review with the report tabled in State Parliament last week.

The Fraud Control Over Local Government Grants report said: “Loddon’s wardbased approach may not be delivering the best value for money for the municipality because it allocates funding based on wards.

“Even when the council does not approve any projects from a ward one year, the budget rolls over for the same ward to use in future years. Loddon also provides $500,000 per year to support its community planning framework.

“It funds a single project that strategically benefits the community and is intended to attract state and federal grant funding by providing a co-contribution.

“The council rotates the funding between wards and there is no competitive process to select projects. The council also delivers the project.

“By using both of these programs to fund primarily capital projects, Loddon is not assessing these projects against competing projects that go through its annual budgeting process.”

The report also singled out multiple examples the auditor-general claimed had not been properly assessed and approved over a five-year period.

One included in the report from last June saw a local organisation granted $1950 when a ward councillor took the request to council after the group had missed the earlier grant application deadline.

“The councillor consulted a council officer to confirm that this group would have met eligibility criteria, but there was no formal application or assessment process,” the report said.

Also cited was a recreation reserve

committee of management grant. “In August 2021, a (committee) requested, and the council approved, a $35,000 grant to purchase a new mower. Under the program’s policy, the group should have supplemented the grant funding with funds from the sale of its old mower.

“The (committee) privately sold its old mower 2 months after purchasing the new mower, despite advising the council that the old mower had no trade-in value.

“The (committee) kept the $7700 it received for the old mower after it made an agreement with the school that co-owned it. Loddon was not aware of the sale because it had not acquitted the funding.

While the (committee) later informed Loddon about the sale, the council has no plans to recover this funding even though it should not have paid the full cost of the new mower.”

The report also questioned Loddon Shire awarding a grant to an organisation that a councillor also personally supports.

“In 2021, the club applied for and received a $1000 grant from the council to promote the entire event.

“While the councillor did not approve the grant, it can be perceived as a conflict of interest. This is because the council is providing public funding to promote an event that a councillor personally contributes to.

“While the event was eligible for funding, council records show that Loddon did not consider how the application could present a conflict of interest.”

The auditor-general also wrote: “Hume and Loddon have no internal guidance on when grant programs should have an assessment panel. It is not clear why these councils use one assessor to assess some grants and a panel to assess others.”

However, the report acknowledged that Loddon was one of three councils audited who communicated decisions on applications.

Accuracy, context of claims questioned by Mayor CONCERNS about the contextual and factual accuracy of the Auditor-General’s report have been raised by Loddon Mayor Dan Straub.

In a formal response to the report, Cr Straub said: “As a small rural council we rely heavily on the volunteer effort of our community groups and to support this, Loddon Shire Council has various community support programs.

“We have recently engaged with our volunteers as part of a volunteerism strategy with the overwhelming response from volunteers being that there is too much bureaucracy.

“We therefore need (to) find a balance between the recommendations of this audit alongside the willingness and capacity of our volunteers.

“Our community support policy is currently being drafted and there are around 15 different programs identified in that policy ranging from financial support, non-financial support, competitive programs and ‘as of right’ programs determined through the annual budget process and supporting policy.”

Cr Straub’s response said that in 2019 council began implementing the SmartyGrants program for grant management.

“Acknowledging this implementation was still in progress during the audit period, we have continued, and will continue, to build on the capability of the program.

“This continuous improvement initia-

tive will be complemented by the recommendations from the audit report, to improve our grants management process.”

Council told the Auditor-General it had an acquittal process for all competitive grants but “as of right” grants were not subject to the same requirements.

The Auditor-General recommended that recurring grants only be extended through competitive funding applications.

However, council said it would conduct a cost-benefit analysis of those grants.

Cr Straub said council’s ward-based community planning program had delivered significant community-led projects since it was introduced in 2003-2004.

He said the ward program had “not been challenged by our community to date”.

Council had agreed its fraud risk register will be reviewed and grant-related risk items identified and analysed through the risk management committee.

The Auditor-General was told council had a mandatory fraud and corruption control training program for councillors and staff which was required to be undertaken every two years.

The report said: “We made nine recommendations to all Victorian councils about strengthening their fraud controls and improving their guidance and training for grant-related fraud. We also made one recommendation to Loddon Shire Council about reviewing its community planning grant process.”

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 7

COMMUNITY UPDATE International Nurses’ Day

MORE than $1800 was raised for Cancer Council Victoria at Inglewood Football Club’s Kaye’s Day on Saturday.

The day honoured the life of Kaye Cohalan and the club expects to see the final figure jump when an auction is held.

Our wonderful nursing staff at BDH was joined by residents last week to celebrate International Nurses Day. We reflected on the consistent commitment, passion, kindness, and professionalism of our nurses and other members of our health care team.

The theme for International Nurses’ Day in 2022 was Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health. Each May 12 - the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth - we mark this important day.

Among those helping raise funds were Holly Martin, seven-month-old Noah Burge and Addison Martin (above) at the facepainting table and Helen Canfield and Tanya Leach selling raffle tickets.

LH PHOTOS

Police establish local safety committee VICTORIA Police will form a Loddon local safety committee.

They say the committee will “co-ordinate and collaborate with stakeholders and make genuine and lasting change on areas of community safety and perceptions of safety”.

Police also say the committee will provide community oversight, input and support for its neighbourhood policing model.

Among members of the committee will be a community representative with expressions of interest closing on May 31.

Meanwhile, the police community sentiment survey is in its final days with re-

sponses also closing on May 31. As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Framework, Victoria Police says it is focussed on being agile, responsive and visible in addressing the local community’s needs.

The survey aims to target police services to the issues important to the community.

A summary of survey responses from local communities, including those in Loddon, is expected to be released next month.

The survey is available at www.engage. vic.gov.au/annual-vicpol-communitysentiment-survey-2022

Our volunteers have a special place

A very special thank you in National Volunteers’ Week to all the amazing people who volunteer their time at Boort District Health.

Our recent debutante ball showed the strength of our volunteers and it was

delightful to see the debs and their partners presented to our social support and volunteer co-ordinator Maree Stringer and Lynette Clark, a former staff member who now volunteers at BDH.

Healing/community garden update The Healing garden has indigenous planting, all pathways, and steps for staff access completed. A water feature is to be created with locally acquired rocks in the centre of the path and suitable seating for all patients and residents of the facility. An automatic door has been installed for disable access. We are working with Boort District School to introduce the students artwork into various outside areas.

The central courtyard has had existing planters removed as they were not adequate for residents to use. This area has been concreted ready for new planters or seating areas.

The amazing art work from Laurie Maxted will be showcased on the brick

wall with residents assisting to choose the area. Additional plants and pots have been purchased and this area will continue to be redeveloped with resident input. The old water feature will be planted with succulents and generous donations have enabled the purchase of shade structures for the north end of the internal courtyard so that residents can utilize this area in the warmer weather.

The community garden has concreting finished and green house erected. The planters have already been built on the concrete base ready for planting.

A shade area has been built over the planters. Fruit trees will be planted next and some paths and seating are still to come. Watch this space!

Kiniry Street, Boort Victoria, 3537 Phone: (03) 5451 5200 Email: admin@bdh.vic.gov.au www. bdh.vic.gov.au

8 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

Funds dictate weed battle

STATE Government funding was vital to Loddon Shire tackling weeds, said council’s director operations Steven Philips.

He said weeds posed a serious threat to agriculture, economies and native plants and animals.

“The State Government’s Roadside Weeds and Pests Program provides vital funding to council to plan and implement control activities for the longterm management of state prohibited and restricted weeds and pests on rural roadsides,” he said.

“In 2017 specialist contractors carried out weed mapping across the shire’s 4600km road network. More than 10,000 sites of infestation were recorded.

“As part of this audit a multiyear roadside control program has been established, and provides an ongoing commitment by council to work in partnership with the State Government in maintaining control and early prevention of the identified species.

“As a result over 4000 sites have been treated, with ongoing monitoring and weed control within the available funds of the program.

“The program allows council to prioritise weed species in line with optimal control treatment seasons including Silverleaf Nightshade, Bridal Creeper, Afri-

can Lovegrass, Pattersons Curse, Cape Tulip and Serrated Tussock.

Council continues to work across multiple areas of the shire, targeting very high concentrations of woody weed species around the northern and central network of the shire.”

Mr Phillips said an intense Silverleaf nightshade program was prioritised to match compliance activities of government departments, Landcare and private landholders with two treatments achieved around the Mysia, Fernihurst, Serpentine areas.

“This will compliment three consecutive years of treatment in this area with a decreasing population resulting. Some roadside mapping to the north of these central infestations have led to scheduled works around Mitiamo and Calivil.

“Monitored rabbit infestations from last year ... as well as pockets of Pattersons Curse have been treated this summer, as well as a focused effort for more cactus treatment around Mt Korong, Powlett Plains and Wychitella.

“Council have also been working hard to treat infestation of bindii (in) Bridgewater, Newbridge, Serpentine, Pyramid Hill, Inglewood, Mitiamo, Laanacoorie, Tarnagulla, Dingee, Boort and Wedderburn.”

SHEEP MARKET THERE was a smaller offering of both lambs and sheep at Bendigo on Monday after last week’s cheaper market and wet weather.

Well finished prime lambs were in limited numbers with many pens lacking consistent finish and fat cover.

The sale opened $10 to $15 dearer for quality trade and domestic lambs and gained momentum as it went with latter sales in the market up to $30 dearer.

A contributing factor was reports no ships were able to sail from Tasmania on the weekend due to bad weather leaving some processors short of stock.

Buyers also remarked on tighter numbers of lambs at northern saleyards in recent days following widespread rain.

However plainer domestic and light lambs didn’t record much price change with buyers still selective around carcass finish and presentation. The better bred lines of genuine store lambs were dearer.

Heavy export lambs sold to $284 with the majority of sales from $235 to $265/head at an estimated cost of 775c/kg cwt to processors.

Prices for heavy 26-30kg cwt lambs were buoyed by domestic competition and they sold from $215 to $239/head at a ballpark 780c to 810c/kg cwt.

Some strong sales of heavy trade lambs in the 24-26kg cwt range at up to $221/head helped push price averages above 800c/kg. Neat 22-24kg cwt lambs recorded some of the best carcass price av-

erages of the sale at 830c to 840c/kg.

Plainer domestic lambs mostly $155 to $185/ head varying from 700c to 800c/kg depending on weight, breed, quality and number in a pen. Small lambs mostly $90 to $125/head.

The sheep market was significantly dearer on limited numbers. Heavy crossbred ewes sold to $231/head and were estimated over 600c/kg cwt.

The general run of Merino ewes $160 to $210/ head in an estimated range of 600c to 680c/kg cwt. Some well finished trade weight Merino wethers were estimated in excess of 700c/kg cwt.

CROSSBRED LAMBS Brown Farms Underbool (131) $284, Lynara Partners Hattah (89) $280, A & E Moon Durham Ox (50) $279, PD & PL Wisneske Linga (90) $275, G Freemantle Bet Bet (138) $265, Heighton Partnership Wycheproof (32) $265, John Davidson Pompapiel (126) $255, S Harbour Tennyson (18) $255, SW Ayson Elmore (112) $246, PL & T O’Halloran Mansfield (34) $239, AB & KB Broom Neereman (91) $237, MJ Williams Drummartin (56) $235, GH & AL Bremner Lyonville (70) $234, Peter J Howie Mansfield (90) $230, GR Dobson Echuca (31) $229, PJ Towt Whittlesea (49) $228, Grant Andrews Dunolly (7) $222, Nutbyrne P/L Knowsley (40) $212, RK Payne King Island (95) $210, RJ & CL Crozier Woodend (81) $208.

MERINO LAMBS JJ & JE Elliot Sidonia (81) $154.

MERINO WETHERS L & W Sanders Beulah (149) $258.

MERINO EWES Maxted Holdings Durham Ox (28) $210, T Fernandes, Winjallock (74) $209, Trealla Farms Wycheproof (56) $175.

SUPPLIED BY ASSOCIATED STOCK AGENTS

GRAIN Boort Grain Co-op prices as at Tuesday.

Wheat - H1 $508 FIS. H2 $495 FIS. APW $468 FIS. ASW $450 FIS. GP1 $430 FIS. Barley - PL1 ISCC $419 FIS. SP1 ISCC $419 FIS. Bar1 $410 FIS.

Navigating uncertainty and change

Pulses - Non-GM canola ISCC $1031 FIS. Non-GM canola Non ISCC $1012.50 FIS +/- AOF. Faba 1 $442 FIS. Faba 2 $435 FIS. Field peas $585 FIS. Season 2022-2023 deld site - APW MG $443.

Bar1 MG $382 +$20 Malt.

Check your heaters to stay healthy The Department of Health has issued an advisory urging people to be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Headspace National in conjunction with headspace Bendigo are hosting a webinar for parents and carers of young people to support their mental health.

Register via Eventbrite: Copy this URL into your web browser: https://bit.ly/3NruxDS

The session aims to:  Strengthen understanding of how young people can be affected by change and uncertainty.  Build skills and strategies to support young people who are navigating change.  Identify signs that young people may need additional support.  Build awareness of local, state, and national supports available to young people.

When: Monday 30th May Where: online via Zoom

After you have registered, you will receive an email confirmation from Eventbrite, which will include the Zoom meeting link to access the webinar.

Please note this webinar will not be recorded. All those who register will receive a digital information pack after the session that includes key messages as well as links to resources and support services.

For more information email: programsupport@headspace.org.au

Any gas appliance, gas heater, wood heater or fireplace, equipment or items powered with a gas or petroleum engine, have the potential to leak carbon monoxide, especially if they are used incorrectly or are faulty.

This can cause a health risk when they are used in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas, such as inside the home or in a caravan.

Energy Safe Victoria recommends that all gas

heaters are serviced and tested at least once every two years by a licensed or registered gasfitter. To view the full Department of Health advisory visit www.health.vic.gov. au/health-advisories/carbon-monoxidepoisoning Additionally, Energy Safe Victoria has a safety alert list for models of open-flued gas heaters that should be checked by a qualified gas fitter immediately. The list is available at https://esv.vic.gov.au/safety-alerts/gas-openflued-gas-heaters/

Financial informational online sessions The Brotherhood of St Laurence is offering free online financial information sessions in May and June. The organisation is currently taking enrolments to participate in the Financial Empowerment and Resilience Network free digital sessions. Topics include Keeping safe online, superannuation: understanding your retirement fund, saving and spending, create your financial goals, and build you budget with KASH. For more information and to register go to www.bsl.org.au/services/saving-and-managing-money/fern/

COUNCIL OFFICE T: 5494 1200 F: 5494 3003 Cr Dan Straub Mayor Terrick Ward 0429 236 399

Cr Neil Beattie Boort Ward 0427 552 468

Cr Wendy Murphy Inglewood Ward 0436 457 170

Cr Linda Jungwirth Tarnagulla Ward 0428 259 082

Cr Gavan Holt Wedderburn Ward 0408 943 008

E: loddon@loddon.vic.gov.au Monday to Friday 8.15am to 4.45pm

CONTACT COUNCIL

41 High Street Wedderburn 3518

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 9

Crucial in a crisis, always building society VOLUNTEERS are essential to Australia’s crisis resilience, a new report this week has found.

The Volunteering Australia research examines the volume and breadth of volunteers playing crucial roles in communities during natural disasters and COVID-19 outbreaks.

Volunteering Australia says the resilient and skilled workforce includes over 200,000 volunteers in fire services organisations and around 25,000 volunteers in state and territory emergency services.

A further 200,000 volunteers are engaged in more than 1000 registered emergency and relief charities. On top of this, many thousands of often ‘invisible’ volunteers help informally and spontaneously to support communities before

and after crises. Volunteering Australia CEO Mark Pearce acknowledges how instrumental volunteers have been throughout the events of the last few years.

“This year’s National Volunteer Week theme is ‘better together’.

Our communities have taken a big hit in recent times and yet volunteers are always there when we need them. Volunteers across the country have stepped up to help their communities through bushfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic in a most practical demonstration of Australian community spirit.

“Volunteers contribute significantly across crisis prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery in many key roles.

“The aftermath and the impact of disasters are felt long after an event has taken place.

“Volunteers provide support to those affected by crises, including in mental health and suicide prevention services, which typically experience a surge in demand during and after disasters,” Mr Pearce says.

“This National Volunteer Week, we celebrate the significant contribution made by all of the five million volunteers across Australia.

“Volunteering brings people together; it builds communities and creates a better society for everyone.

“Together, through volunteering, we are changing communities for the better.

“We encourage everyone to come together and support their communities by offering your time and skills to help others.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Thank You

to our hard-working volunteers for your invaluable contribution to our local communities.

107A Mitchell St, Bendigo VIC 3550 E: jacinta.allan@parliament.vic.gov.au P: 5443 2144 www.jacintaallan.com Authorised by J Allan, 107A Mitchell Street Bendigo.

A few hours a month can strengthen town THERE are dozens of organisations in Inglewood ready welcome new volunteers.

And this Sunday, the town’s tourism and development committee will be bringing many of these vital local groups together in the town hall to showcase the activities and benefits of being part of the community.

Secretary Pauline Wellman says sharing in the everyday life of Inglewood through clubs and groups made the community stronger and more vibrant.

“We’ve so many wonderful organisations with members sharing their time, interests and skills to enliven the community and make the

whole town a great place to live,” she said.

“But every organisation can do with more members and volunteers, taking on roles that might only take an hour or two a month yet making more events and activities possible.

“From sporting clubs to the historical society, Lions and the op-shop ladies ... even the tourism development committee, we’re proud and passionate about the strong sense of volunteering in Inglewood.”

Pauline said Sunday’s volunteer expo would be a great chance for new residents to hook up with a group and explore more of the great local community fabric.

10 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

Support for community A NEW strategy is being prepared to welcome volunteers back to Loddon groups and organisations.

In June 2021, Loddon Shire Council was successful in obtaining funding of $75,000 from Regional Development Victoria to embark on a range of activities to support the re-engagement and development of volunteers following the disruption of the pandemic.

Council engaged consultant Lisa McCoy in December 2021 to work with the community and council officers to implement the Re-engaging Volunteers in Rural Towns project by June 2022.

The project focus z Understanding volunteers’ needs and gaps z Re-engaging volunteers z Engaging more young volunteers z Volunteer training and resources z Developing a community based Volunteer Strategy.

The journey so far Ms McCoy has engaged with the Loddon community and schools across the Shire to learn what is most important for a sustainable and vibrant culture of volunteering.

Overall the community engagement heard from 301 people: z 170 people completed the Volunteer Survey z 36 students took part in focus groups at schools z 55 residents attended a community focus group z 40 residents were consulted with at a dinner or meeting.

During the engagement participants

discussed ideas for attracting more young people into volunteer roles and ways of supporting a vibrant and sustainable culture of volunteering.

This information will inform the Volunteer Strategy and the development of resources that will support volunteerism in Loddon.

What’s next Following feedback from the community three workshops are being offered across the Loddon Shire for interested volunteers to come along and enhance their skills and knowledge.

The workshops include:

z Engaging Young Volunteers - Tuesday 31 May 2022, 6.30pm-8.00pm, Inglewood Town Hall Hub z Understanding Committee Governance, Roles and Responsibilities Wednesday 1 June 2022, 6.30pm 8.00pm, Boort Resource and Information Centre z Making Meetings Successful Tuesday 14 June 2022, 6.30pm to 8.00pm, Wedderburn Community House.

Bookings are essential and can be made by calling Lisa McCoy on 0428 644 070 or email lisa@locallogicplace.com.au In addition to the face to face workshops, self-guided training and resources will be

developed and made available via council’s website.

Beyond the conclusion of the project: The Volunteer Strategy will be completed and presented to council in June 2022.

This strategy will outline the actions required beyond this project to ensure the work that has been completed can be continued and that it will support Loddon volunteers beyond the conclusion of this project.

If you have any questions or information you would like to share you can contact Lisa McCoy on 0428 644 070 or lisa@ locallogicplace.com.au

Praise and thanks for work in local towns Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan writes: Thank you to

our amazing, hard-working volunteers who form the backbone of our local communities.

Our volunteers work selflessly to help others, undertaking a vast range of services from helping keep the community safe from fires through volunteering for the local fire brigade, to delivering essential welfare services.

The Victorian Labor Government has developed the Victorian Volunteer Strategy to support and enhance volunteering. The strategy will be a five-year plan and has been put together in partnership with the volunteering community.

Volunteering brings social, cultural and economic benefits to our community.

It provides pathways to employment, building on skills and experience that can be transferred across your career. It also brings people together, providing enjoyable and rewarding opportunities to engage with the community.

Thanks to our volunteers, our communities are far more resilient places to live. Many volunteers continued to work selflessly during the pandemic, providing important and vital services to the most vulnerable in our local communities. Congratulations to all our hard-working volunteers. Our communities would not be the same without you. Your work is invaluable, and through National Volunteer Week, we celebrate the amazing contribution you make every day to support, strengthen and enrich our local communities.

Loddon Shire Mayor Dan Straub writes: In every community

across the Loddon Shire are people helping enrich our communities every day.

They care about where they live, the history and the heritage, and have a commitment to keeping local communities together.

The Loddon Shire shares that commitment freely and willingly displayed and practised by our residents.

Council values and acknowledges the sterling contributions they make and the partnerships that combine to create great places to live, work and play.

Your council assists in connecting people and communities and our online community organisation directory is an

invaluable resource to discovering the many clubs, groups and organisations across the shire.

Council also provides assistance to these volunteer organisations with annual grant programs and assistance for holding of events that bring visitors to our shire.

And our Visitor Information Centre volunteers are on the front line when tourists arrive and look to be connected.

In this National Volunteer Week, on behalf of council, I thank the hundreds of people who are part of making the communities tick.

And as we come out of two very challenging years for voluntary groups, I encourage all residents to share a little of their time by joining one of the groups. We’re in this together.

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 11

ARE YOU A NEW VOLUNTEER OR A VOLUNTEER WHO IS INTERESTED IN REFRESHING YOUR SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE?

Workshops

Want to know more or register your attendance?

12 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

FEATURES | OPINION

On the marginal cusp

1. The name of what kind of horse is also the name of a type of bean?

2. In the 1994 film The Lion King, who was the voice of Mufasa?

3. What percent of the planet Earth is water?

4. The Whitsunday Islands are situated off the coast of which country?

5. Who wrote the novel for which Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is based off?

6. And what was the name of that book?

7. What is the nickname of the South African national rugby team?

8. In which room of the Palace of Versailles was the Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919?

9. What is the most common street name in Australia?

10. How long is the gestation period of sheep?

11. Which character in the Wizard of Oz wanted a brain?

12. What is the coccyx commonly referred to as?

13. Which food is eaten the most throughout the world?

14. To deliver her first Christmas message, where was Queen Elizabeth II? 15. People who come from the United Arab Emirates are called what?

16. True or False – the Baroque composer Jean-Baptiste Lully died from gangrene after his foot was crushed.

17. From which language does the word ‘glitch’ come?

18. Where does the Murray River start flowing?

19. Which European country has a delicacy that is rotten fish?

20. How many venomous snake species does Australia have?

THE Mallee electorate could be on the verge of becoming marginal, according to opinion poll research.

The YouGov polling released last week shows a 10 per cent swing away from the Coalition and first-term Nationals MP Anne Webster.

A double-digit swing on Saturday would firmly move Dr Webster’s margin from a very safe 16 per cent at the 2019 election.

If that polling is reflected in the thousands of votes already cast at pre-poll centres and by post, the electoral landscape of Mallee would dramatically change for the next three years.

However, predictions of any seismic shift in voting patterns in a single election should be viewed with utmost caution in Victoria’s largest geographical seat that just over a generation ago returned sitting National (Country) Party members with margins of 30 per cent. The accuracy of opinion polling was found more than seriously deficient three years ago and while researchers claim their modelling has become more refined and sophisticated, that will not be known until after booths close at 6pm on Saturday night.

The YouGov poll last week appears to

have a major flaw for Mallee - the One Nation vote has been put at nine per cent ... for “Ghost” candidate Vanessa Atkinson who has not made a single appearance in Mallee let alone uttered a single word about the electorate from her reported Queensland home.

Where that chunk of intended votes really goes - almost one in 10 electors could have a big influence on the Mallee result.

If people thinking of putting One Nation first instead go for Dr Webster, her predicted primary vote will be higher than the 37 per cent indicated by the opinion poll. To avoid a close run, it would need to.

But if voters opt for independents or the United Australia Party, as they say in the classics, it’s game on.

One thing is certain, the pool of predicted One Nation votes will unlikely end up with Labor and the Greens who are polling a combined 32 per cent while independents and UAP have a combined 22 per cent.

Independents Sophie Baldwin and Clau-

dia Haenel are not directing preferences on their how-to-vote ticket but Ms Haenel is asking voters to put Dr Webster last.

Stuart King (UAP) is giving his second preference to Ms Baldwin and puts Dr Webster, Carole Hart (Labor) and Sam McColl (Greens) in the bottom three positions on the eight-candidate ballot paper.

The Greens have given Ms Haenel their second preference and all candidates have each other higher than Dr Webster on their tickets.

Seasoned political pundits across Mallee believe Dr Webster will be re-elected but they have not ruled out a big swing.

They have told of large pockets of support for the sitting MP but, from a distance, have observed that Loddon communities did not seem to be one strength in Dr Webster’s re-election campaign that has focused on Mildura, Horsham and Swan Hill with an occasional visit into St Arnaud and Charlton. Some candidates, however, managed to give the Loddon some love.

One thing is certain, in a few days, the election will be all over bar the shouting ... until we do it all again for the state election later in the year.

Candidates make their final pitches SOPHIE BALDWIN (IND) As an Independent representative I do not have to toe any particular party line, I can represent Loddon and Mallee purely based on policy and not politics. Imagine the possibilities.

My number one priority for Loddon will be to advocate for funding for a day care facility at Wedderburn P-12.

There is nothing more important than the establishment of this facility.

Not only will it support, attract and retain workers, it will allow Wedderburn P-12 to continue to remain a safe place for the students who so desperately need it to be.

If elected I intend to meet with and work with the shire on a regular basis to find active solutions for the lack of housing, health facilities and black spot funding.

STUART KING (UAP) ANSWERS

By CHRIS EARL

Mallee voters have a distinct choice to make in this federal election.

Do you want more of the same lack of representation, infrastructure and services? Do you want more lockdowns, business closures and community inter-

ruption? Or do you want a candidate who is a lifetime Mallee local, a former farmer, civil engineer, small business owner and Councillor whose party has committed to a 20% regional tax concession, infrastructure investment and aged pension increases?

Do something different. Vote for vision, hope, opportunity and prosperity for future generations. Let’s get something done for a change!

CHRIS LAHY (CITIZENS’ PARTY) We face a fight to have people-owned Postal Savings Banks with guaranteed deposits as the big banks abandon us, just as we need a national infrastructure and development bank to provide low-interest credit for road, rail, water, power, communications and health infrastructure programs.

We must finally fix the Murray Basin rail debacle and boost road maintenance and construction.

On the land the biggest fight will be returning water rights to farmers instead of the speculative commodity market.

And our crisis in social housing, aged care and childcare, if not fixed, will only

further tear the very fabric of our society.

ANNE WEBSTER (NATIONALS) I am convinced there is no better place to live, work and raise a family than in Mallee.

In my first term, I have prioritised listening to the people of Mallee and consequently focussing on improving access to healthcare, and increasing funding for roads, infrastructure and connectivity, helping business and industry to thrive, and ensuring affordable reliable and sustainable energy.

I have brought $2 billion for Mallee in just three years.

So much rides on the outcome of this election. It is a choice. A choice for a strong regional Australia or a choice for chaos.

Only by voting for the Nationals at this election can you ensure a strong economy for a stronger future.

ALL CANDIDATES WERE INVITED TO SUBMIT A FINAL CAMPAIGN STATEMENT. THOSE RECEIVED HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED

For the latest locally on election night visit www.loddonhderald.com.au

POUNDING THE PAVEMENT! Jake cheers on Charlie at the recent whole school cross country. Participation was at an all time high!

Wedderburn College have a strong future careers program. VCE students enjoyed a day at the Fosterville Gold Mine last week, learning about the potential career outcomes in the industry.

The college is very grateful for all of the local businesses currently supporting their work placements. Our students are learning invaluable skills at these opportunities.

1. Pinto 2. James Earl Jones 3. 71% 4.

Australia 5. Roald Dahl 6. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 7. The Springboks 8.

Hall of Mirrors 9. George St 10. 5 months 11. Scarecrow 12. Tailbone 13. Rice 14. New Zealand 15. Emiratis 16. True 17. German (Glitschig, meaning ‘slippery’) 18. The Australian Alps 19. Sweden 20. 100.

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 13

FEATURES

Michelle Heather has just returned from her latest mission visit to a land of ...

Beauty and poverty SOUTH Africa is a country of extreme contradiction. It is the most spectacular country full of the most beautiful people, yet it is also a country ravaged by corruption, crime and poverty.

In one street, you will find the richest of the rich and surrounding them is the poorest of the poor. Addiction, abuse, crime, poverty and extreme brokenness is everywhere.

Melusi (the Zulu word meaning “The Shepherd”) is a mission base on five hectares of land in Dundee, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa that has ministered to and served those suffering and in poverty since 1984. It was established by Pastor Peter and Angeline Hambidge who are still to this day, serving the community and living on the base.

Along side them are short and longterm missionaries from Germany, Netherlands and Australia. Melusi is a multifaceted ministry that operates a Food for Work program, Temple Gate ministry, Melusi United Soccer Club and kids’ clubs/ teenage Bible studies along with a yearly youth conference ‘MYC”.

Melusi has the most amazingly huge veggie garden. On a weekly basis a number of unemployed people come to Melusi to “work for food” in the Food for Work program.

They are involved in working in the veggie garden or on the mission grounds and in return receive a food parcel with basic staples (maize meal, vegetables and maars which is a fermented milk product).

This program was established to give the poor a hand up rather than a hand out.

During Covid, the veggie garden was able to help feed over 1000 people each week.

The Temple Gate ministry takes in homeless and destitute men who have little or no money and are often addicted to alcohol/drugs, have lost their jobs, have been in prison or who have had relationship difficulties leaving them homeless.

When they come to the mission, they are given a bed, three meals a day and they find purpose in helping out on the mission, learning life skills, receiving counselling and most importantly they are loved and valued.

Each afternoon through the week, outreaches are run where the missions team go into the community (particularly the squatter settlements) and run kids clubs, teenage Bible studies (which in some locations include the provision of a cooked meal) and also visit many of the families to check on their wellbeing.

In 2012, Victory Church in Bendigo formed a relationship with Melusi and has provided monthly financial support. In

Melusi Youth Conference

Michelle Heather visiting children at the mission in South Africa

2013, a team from the church was sent for two weeks to South Africa to help build a new church building on the mission.

This was the first time Glenn and I went to Melusi. We both felt a real connection there and a few months later we returned to South Africa with our three boys for a three-month stay where we all worked and served the mission.

Glenn provided much needed maintenance to vehicles, repairs to many pieces of equipment and spent a lot of time chatting with the residents.

The boys did their schooling on the base in the mornings and then worked in the veggie garden in the afternoons and I as-

sisted on all the outreaches into the squatter settlements.

Since our first trip in 2013, Glenn and I have returned six times to Melusi and the last four times we have taken a team of people from Victory Church to join where they get to experience life on the mission and serve the people of Dundee.

In 2020 we had a team of 12 who were six weeks away from heading to South Africa when Covid hit and all plans were cancelled and the whole world was sent into a spin.

Fortunately, most restrictions have now lifted and Will (our youngest son) and I have just returned from a two-week

visit where we were able to serve at their yearly Youth Conference which had been on hold for the past two years. Over 1000 youth attended each of the three days where they sang, danced, heard a message of hope, received a hot meal, were loved on, listened to, prayed for and told how valued and important they are.

Next year we will hopefully again see mission teams from Victory Church returning to Melusi to experience the life on the mission.

Michelle Heather, of Murphys Creek, is a pastor at Victory Church Bendigo and Church at Tarna.

The veggie garden

14 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

Loddon HERALD CLASSIFIEDS Deadline - Tuesdays 4pm - Phone 0419 549 743 email loddonherald@gmail.com

PUBLIC NOTICES

EMPLOYMENT

Appointments to the board of directors of Inglewood and Districts Health Service

Safe and high quality healthcare for all Victorians is a priority of the Victorian Government. Applicants for board directorships must be able to demonstrate and provide evidence in support of the skills they identify in their applications.

Tourism and Marketing Coordinator –

All applications will be considered however the Inglewood and Districts Health Service Board of Directors would particularly welcome applications from women with expertise in Asset Management and ICT Strategy & Governance to fill identified gaps in their current board skills profile. Please refer to the Position Description for more details about the competencies needed.

Inglewood and Districts Health Service is a small rural health service that delivers a range of programs and services for our local communities. The Health Service’s main campus is located in the township of Inglewood, with services provided to Wedderburn, Bridgewater, Newbridge, Korong Vale, Serpentine, Tarnagulla and other local communities. Further information is available on our website www.idhs.vic.gov.au The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring that government boards and committees reflect the rich diversity of the Victorian community.

We encourage applications from people of all ages, Aboriginal people, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse, intersex and queer people. We will provide adjustments to the recruitment process upon request.

Well worth a visit to see the amazing Artefacts collected from the Boort Region.

A recent addition is 34 photos taken by John Hunter Kerr in the 1850s. This was made possible by the State Library of Victoria.

The Victorian Government’s Women on Boards commitment has been in effect since 2015 and is ensuring that all public boards have no less than 50 per cent women. In 2021, 55 per cent of board seats are held by women, compared to 39 per cent six years ago.

Everyone is welcome. but please call or Email before visiting.

Phone - 0417 333 171 Email - paulcathiehaw@gmail.com

THE LODDON HERALD AT 20+ LOCAL BUSINESSES

individuals who want to make a difference and help shape our future. ref.J/155  Full-time, permanent position  Based in Wedderburn office, with scope for flexible working arrangements  Band 7 - $47.53 per hour Applications for the position above will close on Monday 30 May 2022 at 5pm.

Manager Tourism and Economic Development – ref.J/154  Senior Officer (SO) contract  Based in Wedderburn office, with scope for flexible working arrangements Water Truck Driver – ref.J/152  Full-time position working a 9-day fortnight  Based in northern end of shire  WTDCOM – Water Truck Driver on Commencement - $32.31 per hour Ranger – ref.J/151  Casual position, forming part of on-call roster  Travel across our beautiful shire  $34.02 per hour (inclusive of casual loading), plus applicable allowances Applications for the positions above will close on Monday 23 May 2022 at 5pm.

Community Care Workers – ref.J/102 and J/105  Casual and part-time positions  Band 3 - $28.64 per hour ($35.80 for casuals inclusive of loading) Early Childhood Educator – ref.no J/123  Casual positions at all kindergartens  ECEC1.1 - $29.75 (inclusive of casual loading) Early Childhood Teacher – ref.no J/124  Casual positions at all kindergartens  ECTC1.1 - $40.05 (inclusive of casual loading) Applications for the positions above will be assessed as they are received.

For further information, including a detailed position description and details on how to apply, please visit Council’s website www.loddon.vic. gov.au or contact Council’s Organisational Development Unit on (03) 5494 1202.

For further information on the Board’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion, please see our Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

Loddon HERALD

Applications close at Midnight Tuesday 31 May 2022.

Circulating throughout

Further information including how to apply, please visit: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/ governance

PICK UP YOUR FREE COPY OF

the following positions from highly motivated, enthusiastic, energetic and outcome focused

These positions provide an exciting opportunity for members of the Victorian public with relevant experience and qualifications to contribute to the strategic leadership of public health care delivery to the community.

The Museum is situated on the property of Paul & Cathie Haw.

Loddon Shire Council is seeking applications for

The Minister for Health, Martin Foley MP, is pleased to invite applications for a part time board director position at Inglewood and Districts Health Service.

Collaboration, through the recently established Health Service Partnerships, is a key Victorian Government priority https://www2.health.vic. gov.au/health-service-partnership. Applicants should have a demonstrated history of achievement through collaboration and partnering. Being able to demonstrate strong working relationships, particularly in the Victorian health sector, will be highly valued.

Yung Balug Keeping Place

CAREERS AT LODDON

For all enquiries regarding the appointment process, please contact Tammy Hancock at tammy.hancock@health.vic.gov.au For all enquiries regarding the board, please contact Sharon Williams EAssistant@idhs.vic. gov.au

CLASSIFIEDS CONNECT

FREE EVERY THURSDAY

communities in the Loddon Shire Email loddonherald@gmail.com or Phone 0419549743 Managing Editor - Chris Earl www.loddonherald.com.au The Loddon Herald is published by Muso’s Media Pty Ltd, PO Box 1188, Kangaroo Flat, 3555, and printed for the publishers by Newsprinters Pty Ltd McKoy Street, West Wodonga, VIC 3690 Responsibility for election comment is accept by the editor Chris Earl of 8 Holland Court Kangaroo Flat 3555

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 15

Top level talks fail to resolve SES impasse

DIGGING DEEP Wedderburn Secondary College students were last week intro-

duced to job and training pathway opportunities in mining as part of the Minerals Council of Australia Victoria career immersion program. The college and North Central Local Learning Employment Network partnered for the visit to Fosterville Gold Mine.

THE FUTURE of Wedderburn’s State Emergency Service unit is at a stalemate after top-level meetings last Thursday.

Regional manager north west Sharon Unthank and chief officer operations Tim Wiebusch reiterated the SES policy on volunteers being triple-vaxed against COVID-19.

A representative from Bendigo Health also met with unit members to share information, listen to concerns and provide advice around vaccinations, according to a statement from SES state headquarters.

The statement said: “The VICSES Wedderburn Unit is already operating on dualresponse arrangements. This will con-

tinue with neighbouring units continuing to support local capacity where required.

There are some members fully vaccinated with the three doses who remain available to respond. A rescue truck is still located at Wedderburn and available for use.

“It’s important VICSES follows the public health advice and complies with the pandemic orders to keep our members, and the community, safe,” the statement said.

Unit controller Paul Gordon-Cooke said the stalemate would leave the local unit “thin on the ground”. He claimed the SES was pushing the blame for the situation down to members instead of up the chain.

LODDON HERALD BUSINESS, TRADES & SERVICES

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16 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

RUN FOR RESILIENCE

Tash Whiteside

Tamara Dawson

Members of the Fitty’s 5 crew

Ginny Stephens and Tracey Webb

Grace McNally

Maddy Gibbons

Betty Higgs

Evelyn Morrison

Xander and Edmund Wilson, Tyler McEwan

LH PHOTOS

Yvonne Poole and Rachel Cain receive medals

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 17

RUN FOR RESILIENCE

Joy Hoey

Scott Morrison

Ian Stringer

Monique Vella

Charlotte Fithall

Bernie Fithall

Mychael Baker

Mitchel Keuken

Hayley McNaughton

Claire Harrison

LH PHOTOS

Baelea Collins

18 | Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022

SPORT | FOOTBALL

Young Blues put Panthers to ground A BOLSTERED Inglewood has chalked up its first Loddon Valley league junior victory for the season with a upset over Marong on Saturday.

The young Blues, with stand-in coach Adam Murphy, was at full strength with several players from Boort and Wedderburn lining up to play on the North Central bye weekend.

After an even first term when neither side goaled, Inglewood gained the edge through Nevins, Hoskin and McClellan.

And while the Panthers came back in in the third term, two quick goals to Blues’ Ryder Smith kicked Inglewood ahead and on course for victory. Inglewood held Marong scoreless in the final term.

It was just Marong’s second defeat of the season and has seen Bridgewater take top spot.

SENIOR GOALS Brandyn Grenfell (Marong) 14 .. 44 Bailey George (Pyramid Hill) 0 .. 16 Josh Martyn (Bridgewater) 0 .... 14 Jay Reynolds (Mitiamo) 0 ........ 14 Jacob Greenwood (Calivil) 4 .... 14 Andrew Collins (Bridgewater) 0 13

THIS WEEK Newbridge v Bridgewater Marong v Bears Lagoon Serpentine Pyramid Hill v Calivil Maiden Gully v Mitiamo

Dogs missing sticks

ROUND six saw another Loddon Valley “heavyweight clash”, with Mitiamo hosting Pyramid Hill.

The senior game lived up to expectations but was not for the faint hearted.

The goal umpires earned easy money as they confirmed sixpoint efforts, but they worked overtime acknowledging the Bulldogs’ minor scores.

It’s hard to believe that the Dogs kicked 5-22 and still claimed the spoils.

This was a pressure-laden encounter and it was a credit to both teams that they were still “hard at it” as the final siren sounded.

Both teams looked likely to break the game open as they launched from defence, but as quick as it entered “danger territory” the ball rebounded. That was the nature of the contest.

By game’s end the Bulldogs had scored 27 times to 13 and would have been unlucky to lose. Bailey George had plenty of shots but could only register behinds.

To their credit the Superoos maintained scoreboard pressure thanks to their accuracy. It was a clash that had a small but enthralled crowd guessing until the final buzzer. Finally, it was Pyramid Hill 5-22-52 to Mitiamo 7-6-48.

The Bulldogs were well served by skipper Steve Gunther, “Scoota” Mann and James Arratta in what was a very even team contribution.

The reserves game unfolded

COMING MY WAY Inglewood’s

Nathan Angelino reads the play on Saturday (left) while Harry Gadsden (above) sends Bears Lagoon Serpentine back into attack. LH PHOTOS

as most expected it would. The Dogs were simply too strong and had too many swift ball carriers.

With key forwards, Rowan Pollock eight goals and Ashton Dye five, to cap off the good work from further afield, the

Bulldogs finished with triple figures again. The key forwards were complimented by Greg Quinn, Nick Skinner and Troy Woolhouse, who toiled effectively from further down the ground to set up another huge victory.

SCOREBOARDS SENIORS Calivil 3.2 Maiden Gully 6.3

6.6 7.8

8.9 9.7

11.10 (76) 13.12 (90)

Goals - Calivil: Jacob Greenwood 4, Jack Burns, Jake Lawry 2, Alex Daniels, Evan Ritchie, Brock Rogers. Maiden Gully: Wayne Mitrovic 4, Mitchell Dean 2, Joel Dwyer, Chis Howgate. Details incomplete.

Best - Calivil: Phil Ryan, Ben Daley, Nick McPherson, Jacob Greenwood, Jake Lawry, Mitchell Deering. Maiden Gully: Jessi Lampi, Hamish McCartney, Chris Howgate, Clinton Angove, Steve Turner, William Anderson.

Mitiamo Pyramid Hill

2.1 1.3

5.4 3.8

5.5 5.14

Best - Mitiamo: Lee Dale, Jack Vinnicombe, Douglas Thomas, Lachlan Twigg, Benjamin Perry, Daniel Mowat. Pyramid Hill: Steven Gunther, Scott Mann, Nathan Catherwood, Ben Dalton, James Arratta.

5.6 3.4

7.13 6.5

Marong Pyramid Hill Mitiamo Inglewood Bridgewater BL Serpentine Calivil Newbridge Maiden Gully

6 5 6 6 5 5 5 5 5

5 5 4 3 2 2 1 1 1

1 0 2 3 3 3 4 4 4

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

253.43 210.46 130.77 83.97 96.79 68.51 89.24 51.82 42.84

20 20 16 12 8 8 4 4 4

RESERVES

7.6 (48) 5.22 (52)

Goals - Mitiamo: Michael l’Anson 2, Brayden Baines, Ben Bisset, Lee Dale. Carl Nicholson, Ryan Wellington. Pyramid Hill: Nathan Catherwood, Steven Gunther, Scott Mann. Details incomplete.

BL Serpentine 2.5 Newbridge 1.3

Best - Inglewood: Luke Matheson, Bregon Cotchett, Charlie Ingham, Cody Wright, Nathan Angelino, Charlie McGaw. Marong: Brandyn Grenfell, Kyle Manley, Justin Hynes, Corbin Fleming, David Johnstone, Jack McCaig.

9.14 (68) 7.6 (48)

Calivil Maiden Gully

3.5 1.0

4.8 3.1

7.9 5.1

12.11 (83) 8.2 (50)

Goals - Calivil: Stanton Till 6, Billy Sexton 2, Marceau Antoine, William Cole, Thomas Wakefield. Details incomplete. Maiden Gully: Dylan Toulmin 3, Leigh Jones, Tim Fitzpatrick, Josh Covington. Details incomplete.

Best - Calivll: Tim Lloyd, Cody Anderson, Loka Manu, Jordan Bonanno, Thomas Wakefield, Peter Whelan.

Maiden Gully: Toby Hudson, Dylan Toulmin, William Noden, Player, Kye Wicks, Josh Covington.

Goals - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: Justin Laird 5, James Bailey, Rhonen Mayer, Beau Roy-Clements, Josh Taig. Newbridge: Christopher Dixon, Caleb Sanders, Harry Whittle 2, Jordan Formosa.

Mitiamo Pyramid Hill

Best - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: Justin Laird, Charlie Gadsden, Ryan Prendergast, Kalem Paxton, James Bailey, Josh Walsh. Newbridge: Mitch Hocking, Logan Dixon, Thomas Hobson, Dylan Lloyd, Cameron Grant, Tyler McLeod.

Best - Mitiamo: Mason Hocking, Ethan Hocking, Steve King, Hudson Storey, Zac Tuohey, Connar Pearson. Pyramid Hill: Ashton Dye, Mitchell Dingwall, Nick Skinner, Mark Swiney, Nathan Moon, Matthew Moon.

Inglewood Marong

BL Serpentine 1.0 Newbridge 2.0

0.2 7.5

3.3 11.9

5.5 17.11

7.5 (45) 27.16 (178)

Goals - Inglewood: Charlie McGar 3, Bregon Cotchett, Traiton Kendal, Alex Lowe. Details incomplete.

Marong: Brandyn Grenfell 14, Adrian Pappin 3, Nathan Devanny, Ryley Taylor 2, Jacob Ede, Jimmy Gadsden, Corey Jacobs, Jack McCaig, Kane Newton, Tucker Thach.

0.0 4.7

0.1 10.12

0.1 13.16

0.1 (1) 18.20 (128)

Goals - Pyramid Hill: Rowan Pollock 8, Ashton Dye 5, Gregory Quinn 2, Mitchell Dingwell, Ross James..

4.3 3.1

6.4 3.3

6.5 (41) 5.5 (35)

Goals - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: Jayden Glasman, Frasier Holland 2, Kyale Paxton, Matthew Quinn.

Newbridge: Brandon Butler, Austin Fithall, Jay McLeod, Aidan Moore, Joel Coutts.

Best - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: Abe Addlem, Allan Edwards, Matt Johnson, Matthew Quinn, George

Boyd, Brenden Younghusband. Newbridge: Austin Fithall, Keelan Bertuch, Corey Dixon, Brandon Butler, Damien Whan, Aidan Moore.

Inglewood Marong

0.0 6.6

1.0 7.9

1.1 14.14

1.1 (7) 25.16 (166)

Goals - Inglewood: Luke Brien. Marong: Zack Turnbull 5, David Blume, Thomas Wilson 4, Aaron Collins, Jay Cummins 3, Bradley Matthews 2, James Evenden, Fraser Millar, Tristian Rowe, Billy Stewart.

Best - Inglewood: Malcolm Mclean, Samuel Essex, Tom Sawers, Ryan Barns-Johnson, Jack Smith, Jack Sides. Marong: Thomas Wilson, Jay Cummins, Harry Baker, Aaron Collins, Zack Turnbull, Fraser Millar.

Marong Pyramid Hill Calivil Newbridge Bridgewater Inglewood BL Serpentine Maiden Gully Mitiamo

6 5 5 5 5 6 5 5 6

6 4 4 3 3 2 2 0 0

0 1 1 2 2 4 3 5 6

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

541.91 247.98 202.72 207.41 121.13 61.55 59.82 19.76 17,34

24 16 16 12 12 8 8 0 0

JUNIORS UNDER 18 Inglewood Marong

0.1 0.3

3.4 1.5

5.8 3.7

7.10 (52) 3.7 (25)

Goals - Inglewood: Mitchell Jeffrey, Tyler Murphy.

Details incomplete. Marong: Bailey Holland, Jacob Manning, Cahal Blandthorn.

Best - Inglewood: Gabe Nevins, Seth Hoskin, Kyle McClellan, Mitchell Jeffrey, Jaspa Wendels. Marong: Ben Cruise, Jobe Thomson, Joshua Hall, Kepler Thomson, Cahal Blandthorn, Spencer Taylor.

Bridgewater Marong East Loddon Inglewood

5 5 5 5

4 3 2 0

1 2 3 4

0 0 0 0

167.11 155.45 58.06 62.99

DETAILS ARE MADE AVAILABLE BY AFL CENTRAL VICTORIA

16 12 8 4

Meanwhile in the round’s upset, Maiden Gully finally shook off its wobbly performances to stun the more fancied Calivil and take the points.

And Marong has left no doubt that it is the team to beat, accounting for Inglewood in more than convincing fashion.

Brandyn Grenfell with 14 goals for the Panthers is now way in front of the league goalkicking table.

Inglewood’s competitiveness was not always reflected on the scoreboard, just Marong is on another level at the moment.

- GEOFF HICKMOTT

Redbacks, Pies face big tasks

NORTH Central football resumes on Saturday with Loddon clubs facing massive challenges to collect the four points.

Wedderburn heads to Donald for its clash against the only undefeated side in the competition after five rounds.

The Redbacks will certainly be without key forward Ben DeAraugo but having dropped only one game so far, cannot be discounted.

And despite depth issues, coach Sam Barnes has a team capable of delivering if everything clicks.

Donald has set the pace and will be a tough cookie to crack.

Boort is at home to Sea Lake Nandaly. The Tigers uncharacterically lowered their colours to Birchip Watchem in the opening round but have been back at their dominant best since.

While the Pies have shown glimpses of hope, the youthful combination - Andy Hawker is blooding a few of the youngsters - may be challenged a bit too much by the Tigers on Saturday.

THIS WEEK Birchip Watchem v Wycheproof Narraport Charlton v St Arnaud Donald v Wedderburn Boort v Sea Lake Nandaly

Loddon HERALD Thursday May 19, 2022 | 19

SPORT NETBALL SCOREBOARDS LODDON VALLEY A Grade: Bears Lagoon Serpentine 7, 11, 16, 23, (23) lost to Newbridge 11, 23, 35, 46, (46), Calivil 11, 21, 33, 46, (46) lost to Maiden Gully 14, 28, 43, 58, (58), Mitiamo 14, 32, 49, 64, (64) d Pyramid Hill 10, 18, 25, 29, (29).

Marong Mitiamo Maiden Gully Calivil Bridgewater Newbridge Pyramid Hill BL Serpentine

134.27 142.39 153.57 116.57 118.63 70.92 56.00 55.89

22 18 16 16 12 8 4 0

Ray McLean

Past players have first gathering

B Grade: Bears Lagoon Serpentine 6, 11, 17, 20, (20) lost to Newbridge 12, 27, 38, 54, (54), Mitiamo 10, 19, 23, 33, (33) lost to Pyramid Hill 13, 20, 34, 47, (47), Inglewood 12, 23, 32, 37, (37) lost to Marong 12, 25, 37, 51, (51), Calivil 10, 15, 22, 26, (26) lost to Maiden Gully 8, 23, 38, 50, (50).

Marong Newbridge Maiden Gully Bridgewater Calivil Pyramid Hill Inglewood Mitiamo BL Serpentine

115.92 160.82 143.20 140.22 93.23 90.36 75.00 68.35 64.53

INGLEWOOD‘S football and netball living history gathered for the first time on Saturday as the club launched its past players’ group.

Among the group were members of the 1971 and 1986 football premiership teams and Loddon Valley netball legend Helen Ward.

Club president in 1988-1990, Ray McLean, was among speakers at the special half-time function.

McLean spoke of the importance of junior participation in clubs and have the community as a priority.

20 16 16 16 8 8 8 4 0

C Grade: Bears Lagoon Serpentine 11, 18, 33, 40, (40) d Newbridge 11, 15, 18, 26, (26), Inglewood 7, 16, 26, 33, (33) lost to Marong 13, 25, 42, 60, (60), Calivil 4, 11, 18, 33, (33) lost to Maiden Gully 14, 32, 43, 59, (59), Mitiamo 6, 10, 14, 21, (21) lost to Pyramid Hill 17, 31, 47, 61, (61).

Maiden Gully Marong Bridgewater BL Serpentine Newbridge Calivil Pyramid Hill Inglewood Mitiamo

172.97 133.33 173.88 146.58 94.44 78.79 70.70 62.75 62.50

20 20 16 16 8 8 4 4 0

$3.6m precinct commitment

C Reserve: Bears Lagoon Serpentine 3, 12, 16, 25, (25) lost to Newbridge 10, 24, 35, 41, (41), Inglewood 1, 1, 2, 2, (2) lost to Marong 13, 28, 36, 53, (53), Mitiamo d Pyramid Hill 42-14, Calivil 2, 5, 6, 14, (14) lost to Maiden Gully 9, 18, 37, 55, (55).

Maiden Gully Marong Calivil Bridgewater Newbridge BL Serpentine Mitiamo Pyramid Hill Inglewood

302.02 197.32 158.14 143.97 128.00 86.89 63.95 33.46 19.80

20 18 16 14 12 8 8 0 0

17 and under: Bears Lagoon Serpentine 10, 18, 27, 36, (36) lost to Newbridge 11, 23, 37, 47, (47), Calivil 4, 9, 12, 22, (22) lost to Maiden Gully 14, 20, 34, 43, (43), Inglewood Newbridge Maiden Gully Bridgewater Calivil Marong BL Serpentine Mitiamo

186.44 197.33 115.38 135.11 67.19 135.90 20.55

20 16 16 14 12 10 8

15 and under: Inglewood 1, 3, 4, 4, (4) lost to Marong 21, 36, 51, 72, (72), Calivil 7, 14, 20, 27, (27) lost to Maiden Gully 13, 21, 34, 47, (47), Mitiamo 10, 14, 15, 17, (17) lost to Pyramid Hill 12, 31, 46, 66, (66).

Marong BL Serpentine Calivil Maiden Gully Pyramid Hill Inglewood Bridgewater Mitiamo

351.76 190.00 162.20 128.69 125.34 27.18 84.57 20.37

24 16 16 12 12 8 4 4

Junior netball action between Inglewood and Marong on Saturday saw Indi Simpson (above) and Lucy Rollinson (right) take to the court in the 15 and under match. LH PHOTOS 13 and under: Mitiamo 5, 7, 12, 17, (17) lost to Pyramid Hill 4, 11, 15, 19, (19), Inglewood 0, 2, 2, 4, (4) lost to Marong 9, 18, 26, 37, (37), Calivil 2, 4, 7, 10, (10) lost to Maiden Gully 1, 5, 9, 13, (13).

Marong 230.43 24 BL Serpentine 122.58 16 Mitiamo 144.59 12 Pyramid Hill 136.36 12 Maiden Gully 88.57 12 Calivil 110.94 8 Bridgewater 44.66 8 Inglewood 18.94 4

MALLEE MP Anne Webster on Tuesday pledged $3.6 million for upgrades at Dunolly’s Deledio Park precinct under a re-elected Coalition Government.

Dr Webster said the upgrade would deliver a new multi-purpose sporting and community facility.

“After working with the Dunolly community on this project and fighting hard behind the scenes to make this dream a reality, I am thrilled to be able to announce that under a re-elected Coalition Government, these upgrades will be taking place,” Dr Webster said.

Hotel darts results VICTORIA Hotel Pyramid Hotel darts on Monday night was contested by Cathy Brodie, Craig Boyd, Hafyq Nasharuddin, Tammy Peter, Janine Worth, Bernie Smith, Sharron Boyd, Annie Gibson, Rob Peter, Steve Roberts amd Genevieve Trice. Eliminated down to a final round were Michelle and Hafyq which Hafyq won.

Loddon HERALD

sport

Thursday May 19, 2022

Tom Wilson is saluted by Newbridge and Bears Lagoon Serpentine players after his 300th game on Saturday and (above) later receives the match ball from club president Andrew Friswell.

LH PHOTOS

TOM NOTCHES UP GAME 300

VETERAN defender Tom Wilson played his 300th game for Newbridge in Saturday’s Loddon Valley league clash against Bears Lagoon Serpentine.

Wilson said his 22 seasons with the Maroons had started with a junior flag and he had never entertained playing with another club.

“I went along as a 12-year-old from Laanecoorie to play with mates as we went through pri-

mary school and high school,” he said.

“To have won a flag in my first season has certainly been one of the highlights. Some people never play in a premiership, not as though I probably played too much of a part in that 2001 side.”

Wilson played more than 100 junior games and was a member of the Maroons’ reserves flag teams of 2013 and 2014.

He also coached the junior team and hopes the club can again have an underage side.

“A junior team gives progression for young players and getting them onto the park in the seniors,” he said.

Wilson was honoured by both teams on Saturday as he left the ground after the final siren at Serpentine. “I’ve never wanted to leave the club. It a great family club” he said.

And he predicts the Maroons’ young bunch, if kept together, can rise up the Loddon league ladder. “We got 60 on the list ... so let’s see.”

Pie quartet returns with gold medals NORTH Central has claimed two victories in the weekend’s junior hockey country championships.

Boort’s Luke Boyd and Harry Malone were in the gold medal-winning boys’ under 15 team.

They faced West Gippsland in the gold medal match holding their nerve through the penalty shootout for a 5-4 win.

And in the under 15 girls, North Central defeated Geelong in the final 1-0.

In the team were Boort’s Sienna Boyd and Madeleine Lanyon.

North Central took 90 players in seven teams to the championships played across three venues in Melbourne.

The under 13 boys and girls both finished third overall.

The championships were contested by 44 teams.

North Central football, netball and hockey had a general bye last weekend for the championships.