Loddon Herald 21 April 2022

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Vol 2 No 14 THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 ISSN 2653-1550

TOWN RALLIES THE TROOPS TO KEEP TRADITION ALIVE

SERVICE STAYS

AN ELEVENTH hour call to community has saved Korong Vale’s ANZAC Day service.

Amber Gibson said her community had quickly organised Monday’s commemoration after the RSL’s Wedderburn-Korong Vale sub-branch last week confirmed it would not organise the 9.30am service for the first time.

Amber said the community had been initially devastated by the RSL’s decision.

“I’ve been attending with my family for 30 years and for other families in the district, they have been part of ANZAC services in the Vale for generations,” she said.

Sub-branch president Roger

Easter wrap - Pages 8 & 9

NOW SELLING STOCKFEED

Paterson blamed a shortage of resources and volunteers on the decision to step away from organising the Korong Vale service in the park that honours local Victoria Cross hero Albert Borella.

“We don’t have the personnel to run three services - Dawn at Wedderburn, Korong Vale and Wedderburn in the morning,” he said.

Mr Paterson said that six weeks ago, Korong Vale had been offered the Dawn Service instead.

But Amber said Borella Park was without lighting, making it unsuitable for a dawn service.

Within days of the sub-branch announcement, Amber said there had been a massive community response to keep the ANZAC tradition alive in Korong Vale.

“We were initially gutted. It’s a special day for us ... my greatgrandfather was in World War One and War World Two, my grandmother was secretary of a Legacy group ... and for our fam-

ily it is something we have always done,” she said.

Amber said district RSL member Trevor Collins had been among the first to step up and assist with organising the service.

“Our service always has at least 30 people and now the community will organise a tribute on ANZAC Day,” she said.

Wedderburn and Korong Vale RSL sub-branches merged in the late 1980s.

Commemoration plans - PAGE 3 ANZAC stories - PAGES 12 and 13

FAMILIES TOGETHER Easter has brought Loddon families together for special and fun times in our local communities. Rea Reyes and Illiana Pantig (left) enjoyed the Easter egg hunt organised by United Filipino Association and the combined churches in Pyramid Hill while Lucy and Chad Collins (above) collected their chocolate goodies at the Active Farmers’ breakfast in Bridgewater LH PHOTOS on Good Friday.

2 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

fully-vaccinated field ensured his name wasn’t added to another tournament trophy.

W

HAT other crazy animal races are there in Australia? Cane Toad racing, Port Douglas is one.

S

EEMS much of the wit was hopping around the Loddon’s Northern Oasis over Easter where, of course, Bradley of Boort updated the message on the Treemendous sign. But the real action was off-court as competitors relaxed post-game after a gruelling and competitive day on the tennis court.

Y

ES, the annual tournament’s ferret races had the weekend’s oldest player Lynette shedding the years with unbridled excitement and energy (oh, if only they had been the same on-court!) in the race evening’s ladies’ classic.

Turns out Lynette’s starter was aptly named Ageing Disgracefully and was cheered on by the trainer, romped it home from the likes of Green Eggs and Sam and The Fraraccio Flier.

T

HE fear was that damn pandemic flu, already recorded on the tournament’s men’s championship trophy was “C Virus” winning in 2020, was around during the ferret races. The night’s second race has a certain Covid Again drawn lane one in the race. The

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orget the Great Barrier Reef or the ancient Daintree. In Port Douglas, cane toads usually reviled as an invasive species and known for killing native wildlife through their toxins, are cheered on as they hop across a sticky pub floor. In Brisbane, there’s cockroach racing, apparently a wholesome family activity started (as these stories tend to do) in a Queensland pub in the 1980s and since then, the sport has been unputdownable, spreading as far as the United States.

A

DELAIDE - the City of Churches - has always seemed to have a slightly slower pace of life and when it comes to crazy creature races, it’s no different. Over the on the banks of the Torrens River is the Great Australian Snail Race, not exactly an adrenaline-charged event, but it’s for a good cause. Holden Street Theatre calls for participants to enter themselves and their slimy friends in order to raise money for Careship, an organisation that raises money for people living with dementia.

Plus

TRIPLE CHRISTENING The Easter Sunday service at Wedderburn Uniting Church was a special celebration for the Springthorpe family. Melinda, a member of the church congregation, saw her three young grandchildren Hudson, Evie and Noah baptised by the Rev. Gordon Wild. He said Easter Sunday was a most delightful time in the Christian year celebrating new life and the Resurrection and to perform three baptisms at the service added to the day’s significance this year. Hudson, Evie and Noah are pictured with their parents during the service.

LH PHOTO

Roo meat plant permit on council meeting agenda A PERMIT application to turn the disused abattoirs at Inglewood into a kangaroo pet meat processing plant could be decided by Loddon Shire Council on Tuesday.

The application by Campaspe Meats, advertised last July, has been listed on the agenda for the meeting of councillors, it was confirmed to the Loddon Herald yes-

terday. Animal activists launched a campaign against the bid and staged small protests in September with representatives addressing council last November.

Councillors told protest leaders and organisers of petitions that the permit would be decided on planning grounds only.

Tuesday’s agenda will be made public today.

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Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 3

Games can give region shot at action: Straub

LODDON communities must be considered for infrastructure investment ahead of regional Victoria hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, said Mayor Dan Straub.

Cr Straub said close proximity of Loddon towns to the major regional Games’ hub in Bendigo, should pave greater State Government investment in the shire.

And he also wants a special events calendar during the March 2026 Games to showcase Loddon towns and unique rural competitions including dog trials.

“All of our towns are within an hour of Bendigo, some no more than 20 minutes,” Cr Straub said.

“There is every reason for the Loddon to benefit from increased State Government infrastructure builds for the Commonwealth Games.

“The door is now wide open for greater housing, increased water and sewerage capacity and road and highway improvements.

“And because of our closeness to Bendigo, why shouldn’t some of the Games’ accommodation be considered for towns less 30 minutes or so from Bendigo.

“Afterall, it can take at least that long to travel from one side of Bendigo to the other,” Cr Straub said.

Mayor Dan Straub ... make Loddon ready for the Games.

The Mayor said he would advocate with councillors and senior council staff for shire investment to the State Government.

“Our election wish list is all about investing in future population and economic growth in the Loddon Shire,” he said.

“What a wonderful legacy it would be for better and more infrastructure in our part of the

state after the Commonwealth Games have been held.

“I have spoken with fellow mayors across central and regional Victoria. Yes, we are excited that the Games are coming to the region and yes, we are looking to leverage any investment in the region for the betterment of our local communities.”

Cr Straub said he expected

ANZAC commemoration details are confirmed RSL sub-branches and community groups have finalised arrangements for next Monday’s ANZAC commemoration services across the Loddon.

In Boort, where ANZAC-theme artwork from the local school has been displayed in the main street, this year’s service will be held in the memorial hall.

School students will be playing an important part in the service by reciting two poems and reading the 70 names of the soldiers who lost their lives in the World Wars. The Scouts and Cubs will be presenting the colours at the start of the service.

Adam Wright will perform a fly-over before the service.

At Pyramid Hill, local organisers have brought the service in the memorial hall

to an earlier time this year. Stories of local residents Inge Gottschling, Harriet Schmidt, Ivan Vanderwall and centenarian Lloyd Mill recorded in 2015 will be highlighted at the service, said organiser Cheryl McKinnon.

Jill Hobbs will be the guest speaker at both the Bridgewater and Inglewood services while Glenn Catto will speak at Calivil where the community is organising commemorations for the first time following the RSL East Loddon sub-branch surrendering its charter last year.

In Wedderburn, college vice-principal Dean Lockhart will be the guest speaker.

A dawn service will be held for the first time in Tarnagulla while a service is also planned for Mologa.

grant opportunities would be available to advance Loddon projects and “Loddon-centric events”.

“Events will be more than sport, they can also include heritage and cultural activities in our communities,” Cr Straub said.

“And maybe we will need to consider rescheduling of some existing events to capitalise on the overflow of tourist activity across the region before, during and after the Games.”

Cr Straub said council would also be making submissions to a special State Government portal announced last week.

The Government has asked local communities for ideas to showcase their region as part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games through the cultural program, indigenous engagement or hosting sporting heats and training.

It says an expression of interest process will be established to capture ideas from local councils, peak bodies, cultural organisations and businesses.

The Government has estimated the Games will contribute more than $3 billion to Victoria’s economy, creating more than 600 full-time equivalent jobs before the Games and 3900 jobs during the Games.

IN BRIEF Vax checks go THE State Government yesterday announced most COVID restrictions will end at midnight tomorrow.

They include masks not being worn by primary school children, an end to QR and vaccination checks in hospitality and close contacts no longer having to quarantine, only wearing a mask indoors and returning five negative RATs over seven days.

Tender call STREETSCAPE works in Pyramid Hill have moved a step closer to starting. Loddon Shire Council has called tenders for the project. It was one of two tenders advertised by council in a regional publication at the weekend.

The $1.4 million streetscape project had preliminary approval from council in November.

Active cases drop THE number of active COVID-19 cases in Loddon communities has dropped over the past week. On Tuesday, there were 35 cases in local towns. A total of 829 cases have been reported since the pandemic started.

Steady rains THE ANZAC Day break has come early across the Loddon with steady rain on Monday and Tuesday. Rainfall totals ranged from 51mm in the south to 66mm in northern areas.

4 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

Mentor program enters sixth year

THE MATES program has kicked off for 2022 at Pyramid Hill College with a pizza dinner.

North Central Local Learning and Employment Network is bringing together mentors, students, families and college staff for a sixth year of the program.

MATES mentoring and career pathways co-ordinator Barb Bear said mentors would be supporting Year 9 students through until the end of Year 10.

Barb said the first gathering saw participants enjoy pizza from Pyramid Hill Bakery Café and fruit platters provided by the college and the North Central LLEN. The meal was followed by a range of fun games organised

by Year 10 students Ellesha Fergusson, Kaitlin Broad and James Hercott followede by a trivia competition.

Students meet their mentors for start of the MATES program.

College principal Fiona Moon said the school was fortunate to have caring people in the community who were positive role models, willing to be matched with a young person.

“Mentors obviously enjoy the satisfaction of supporting students through the final years of school,” she said. “Young people

are encouraged to stretch themselves out of their comfort zone, set goals with their mentor that they can aim to achieve together, share common interests and take on a project.

“Through mentoring, young people can broaden their networks, take up possible work experience opportunities and learn about different career options.”

MATES mentors are given an application form and mentor training modules to complete and apply online for a working with children check.

Barb said it was up to mentors and students to arrange regular times to meet that suited them, outside school hours, at least once a month.

Group events for mentors and students like the recent games night were planned to be held each term,” Barb said.

Take goods to your nearest op-shop, please!

MORE than three months after Helping Hands closed its op-shop in Bridgewater, people are still leaving unwanted goods outside the town’s former Methodist church and Sunday school.

The generosity of locals has not gone unnoticed but the buildings’ new owner Trish Arendse-Rollins wants people to instead take goods to the Inglewood Ambulance Auxiliary op-shop as she begins restoring and renovating the 19th century buildings.

“On Sunday, a children’s large outdoor play set was left at the church door. How they managed to climb over the barrier with it is beyond me,” she said.

Trish and husband Brian purchased the buildings two years ago and are planning to live permanently in Bridgewater when renovations are complete.

They are asking people to share photos, pictures and stories of the 1875 church and its history as they embark on the project.

COLOURFUL PASSION: Illona McEwan. LH PHOTO

Illona’s flower passion has its seeds at home

ILLONA McEwan’s passion for gardening and flowers is now adding fragrant colour to local homes and Inglewood’s main street.

From garden beds on the outskirts of town where she farms with husband Brett, dahlias grown with love have become an instant hit with customers looking to buy local flowers.

Illona is selling flowers from her seasonal garden through the new Cafe 3517 in Brooke Street.

“I love being out in the garden. It’s a passion and has been

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since growing up on the farm in Nhill,” she said. “I definitely got into gardening thanks to my parents.”

Illona says she has grown most flowering plants from seeds and cuttings given by family and friends.

She is currently planting more flower beds and spring seedlings, adding to her dahlias and rose bushes, including the Illona rose variety.

And Illona hopes to expand her secondary farm business into floral arrangements for weddings, funerals and other special occasions.

Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 5

Leadership in community

By LUCY MALONE SEVEN pupils from East Loddon P-12 and Boort District School have returned from the School for Student Leadership with enthusiastic plans for their communities up their sleeves.

The Year Nine students attended the Alpine campus for nine weeks, where they worked in collaborative groups and independently on a range of skills.

Among the tasks they were given was a community learning project, which aims to instil positivity into their local areas.

Each school group brainstormed achievable plans that would benefit their town.

Harry Malone, from Boort District School, said his group’s project aimed to help restore enjoyment after lockdown barriers.

“Our CLP is going to be a fun day out for the community, with a sausage sizzle and heaps of activities,” he said.

“We want to help people relax and restore community connection after hard times in lockdown that meant our town couldn’t run its usual activities.”

In its project overview, the Boort group said this event would look to bring the town together.

“Throughout the last two years our community has gradually become isolated. We are no longer as social. When the time came to create our community learning project, it seemed obvious to focus on this fact. Our vision is to bring our small community

Leadership students (from left) Harry Malone, Max Beattie, Joe Velleley, Jessica McClelland, Sienna Boyd and Ella Streader. together after hard years in lockdown.”

Fellow student Ella Streader said the plans were productive and would be enjoyable to fulfil.

East Loddon student, Fynn Clymo also put together an outline of a project. His idea proposes the creation of a pump track (bike track) in his area to provide youth with a place to ride.

The project is a focus within the program and encourages these young Loddon leaders to get out into their communities.

The students’ plans will be completed in the coming months,

while their involvement in communities will continue to grow.

In the future, they want to use their newfound knowledge and skills in the wider community, and also in their schools as they take on leadership roles.

Like her fellow students, Ella said she aimed to get out into her community more.

“I’m going to try and help people who need it.”

Max Beattie said the opportunity was “a once in a lifetime experience.”

The students have improved their collaborative skills through

Property confidence high DEMAND and confidence was high across the Loddon for good farming property, according to real estate agent Graeme Hayes.

The Kerang-based agent has listed several properties in the Boort district this year.

“There has been an excellent response to the properties when being offered for sale.

In the case of a property at Wychitella, it

particularly went above expectation,” Mr Hayes.

“Sales this year are certainly giving a fair bit of confidence. Properties are certainly maintaining their value.

“And the majority of inquiries have been coming from local people.”

Mr Hayes said properties, including residential, continued to command strong interest from potential local buyers.

Travelling around local back roads POPULAR ABC-TV program Backroads is expected to arrive in Pyramid Hill this weekend.

A crew from the program, presented by Heather Ewart, will be filming activities around town over the ANZAC Day weekend

Backroads first screened in 2015 and travels to rural communities across Australia, capturing life in the towns and local characters.

The program aims to meet inspiring people, learn local history and traditions, and share remarkable stories.

interacting with a diverse group of people.

As Fynn said, there were students from “a variety of backgrounds” to mingle with, which taught them how to communicate with people by first understanding their story.

Students from both East Loddon and Boort have previously undertaken the program and have stepped into roles within their sporting clubs and schools.

The Boort group will be assisted by Year 10 peers who were unable to complete their project last year due to lockdowns.

Firing up heritage good oil THE POT will be boiling on Sunday at Inglewood’s Eucalyptus Distillery Museum.

The tourist attraction distillery is marking the 170th anniversary of the eucalyptus oil industry during this year’s Australian Heritage Festival.

Manager Nicole Upton said the distillery would be fired three times this Sunday and again on May 1.

“We will have live demonstrations of eucalyptus oil distillation throughout the day, as well as insights into the history of eucalyptus oil, the blue Mallee and the local industry,” she said.

Nicole said community support was vital for the distillery museum.

“We are not publicly funded and admission fees cover the museum’s running costs,” Nicole said

Algae alert lifted THE blue-green algae warning for Laanecoorie Reservoir and parts of Tullaroop Creek has been lifted a significant decline in algae levels.

Goulburn Murray Water lifted the alert late last Thursday but said monitoring would continue. The alert was first issued last month for Laanecoorie and later extended to include Tullaroop Creek.

6 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

Visitor boom ‘on horizon’

AN ESTIMATED 65,000 people could visit Lake Boort each year if the area’s scarred tree draft masterplan is implemented.

That figure is a high-end scenario projection in the plan open for public comment until next Tuesday.

Loddon Shire says the masterplan considers the steps needed to realise Lake Boort’s potential as a visitor destination, offering a concept design which proposes to reveal the site’s significant values and engage potential visitors.

“Importantly the masterplan represents a further articulation of what the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples and local Boort community have long known, that the story of Lake Boort is of deep importance and is one that should be shared.

“The masterplan outlines how, with considered investment, engagement, infrastructure and promotion, Lake Boort can be realised as a site of national and even international importance.

“The masterplan creates a platform for sharing, protecting and appreciating Lake Boort’s significant and precious cultural and natural value.”

The plan outlines possible funding streams for interpretive trails and access points but does not include costings.

The report says a cost planning exercise is currently being undertaken in parallel to the development of the draft masterplan with “detailed costings and a cost benefit analysis will be included in the final masterplan report.

CONSULTATION for the scarred trees masterplan online meetings with the Dja Dja Wurrung community, the Boort community, stakeholders and the project steering committee.

According to the plan, key feedback themes were: z Visitor experience – reveal the cultural and environmental values of Lake Boort; z Access and circulation – be accessible and defined without impacting cultural and environmental values; z Enhancement and protection of cultural values safeguard culture, both tangible and intangible; z Community benefit – future development to provide direct benefits to local communities of Lake Boort and Dja Dja Wurrung peoples; and z Site safety and management – management of fire, flood and competing uses.

An artist’s impression of a Lake Boort viewing platform.

According to the draft masterplan: “The Lake Boort Scarred Trees Masterplan aims to position the Lake Boort site as one of the first cultural landscapes in Victoria with a distinct Indigenous tourism offer.

“The Victorian Visitor Economy Strategy 2016 has identified an opportunity for growth and development in cultural tourism in Victoria.

“The masterplan seeks to re-

spond to this opportunity, offering an accessible and rich cultural experience for local, interstate, and international visitors.

“The masterplan aims to build awareness and appreciation of Lake Boort as an unparalleled landscape destination, identifying how considered visitor access can create unique and immersive landscape experiences, whilst also providing greater

Key themes emerge from talks

protection of the site’s significant cultural heritage values.”

It says Lake Boort is rich with Aboriginal cultural heritage representing a continuing connection to country for Dja Dja Wurrung peoples.

Consultants wrote that the plan was an opportunity to “elevate the appreciation of Indigenous cultural heritage, and to support and engage with community in the region, through

achieving the objectives of this masterplan.

“The masterplan showcases an aspirational vision and framework to present Lake Boort to the world as a unique visitor destination that offers immersive, educational experiences of Dja Dja Wurrung country.”

Boort scarred trees are regarded as one of the most significant Aboriginal cultural sites in Australia.

Sleepers pave way to port CREWS worked over Easter laying new concrete sleepers on rail tracks between Korong Vale and Mysia.

The weekend work, according to V/ Line, is part of improvements on the Sea Lake and Manangatang freight lines to ensure freight operators in north-west Victoria “continue to have a safe and efficient way to transport their goods to port” “Works include replacing more than 170,000 sleepers, adding more than 30,000 tonnes of ballast to the track, maintenance on more than 8000 joints between pieces of rail and operating a special machine, which improves the surface of the track along the entire length of both the Sea Lake and Manangatang lines, along with the shared section of track between Korong Vale and Dunolly,” V/Line said.

“As part of this project, crews are currently completing sleeper replacements

between Mysia and Korong Vale on the Manangatang line. Work in this section is expected to be completed in coming weeks.”

V/Line said the works were a project under the State Government’s economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a regular program of infrastructure improvements across the regional rail network. V/Line did not comment on whether works were in addition to the Murray Basin Rail Project upgrading the line between Dunolly and Sea Lake, listed on the State Government’s Big Build website as having been completed.

Thousands of new sleepers and ballast on the track came with an injection of an additional $200.2 million for the Murray Basin Rail Project from the Federal Government in 2020 after the State Government revised its business case for the project.

Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 7

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To find out where and how to book visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au

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8 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

GOOD FRIDAY APPEAL

Young brigade appeals for a good cause

LODDON communities have raised more than $16,000 for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.

And helping drive the local fundraising total were dozens of youngsters who enthusiastically joined in doorknocking and rattling appeal tins.

They were family and friends of fire brigades in Bridgewater, Inglewood, Korong Vale and Tarnagulla on the job throughout the morning.

At Inglewood, appeal co-ordinator Joe Watts praised the role local children had played in the appeal.

“They’re so enthusiastic. They love coming and being part of the day,” he said.

Joe said more than half the Inglewood total had been raised through wood raffles before Good Friday.

At Tarnagulla, publican John Lavery and appeal veteran of more than 30 years was joined by the town’s fire brigade and a team of youngsters visiting homes in the district.

This year’s appeal marked a

return to fundraising for the Bridgewater brigade. Captain Tim Ferguson said the town’s two tankers ventured across the district, including to Newbridge.

Hotels also played a big role in raising funds for the appeal. A raffle of a large basket of Easter eggs was popular with patrons at Victoria Hotel Pyramid Hill.

Town totals: Boort $2967, Bridgewater $2500, Dunolly $600, Inglewood $4877, Pyramid Hill $2950, Tarnagulla $3000, Wedderburn $3270.

Harry Patterson, Zara Matos, Edmund Wilson and Ciara McLean full of energy and excitement for Friday’s doorknock in Inglewood. LH PHOTO

Tim Ferguson with Flynn Ferguson, Hanna and Emma O’Toole and Miller Ferguson. LH PHOTO

John Lavery and fire brigade volunteer Kelly Whitton with their team before setting off on Friday’s doorknock. LH PHOTO

Disabled Parking Permit changes

Bianca Mansell, Melonie Moore, Olivia Mansell and Tom Blyth out rattling tins in Korong Vale. LH PHOTO

Digital Adaptation The third round of the Victorian Government’s Small Business Digital Adaptation Program is now open.

The Victorian Government has made changes to disability parking to create an easier and fairer system for all.

The program provides a $1200 rebate to access a range of digital business tools to help modernise business operations.

The new Accessible Parking Permit (APP) Scheme will make the application and assessment process fairer, simpler and consistent across Victoria.

These could include online menus and ordering systems, invoicing, stock and business management tools website, and e-commerce platforms.

To apply for an Accessible Parking permit please visit https://www.vicroads.vic. gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/road-rules/ disability-parking

For more information about the program, visit https://business. vic.gov.au/grants-and-programs/ small-business-digital-adaptationprogram

You can also apply for renewals, replacements and cancellations to your current permit via this process.

If you require assistance through the application process, please contact Council’s customer support team on 54942101

Applications are open until 11:59pm Monday 18 July 2022 or when funds are fully allocated – whichever comes first.

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 April 21, 2022 | 9

EASTER AROUND THE REGION

Roadside stop keeps road safer DRIVER safety was at the forefront on the Loddon Valley Highway last Thursday.

Members of East Loddon and Pyramid Hill Lions Clubs run a driver reviver stop near Bears Lagoon from late afternoon into the night.

Jarklin Fire Brigade joined joined with the Lions Clubs, cooking sausages on the barbe-

cue for drivers and their families looking for a country-style snack.

East Loddon Lions secretary Jo Guthrie said many drivers travelling north for the Easter weekend stopped for a break and were served free coffee or tea.

Lions were also selling cakes and other refreshments doing their bit to help keep local

roads safer during the busy period. A portable toilet had been brought to the Bears Lagoon rest stop and lighting erected by Lions members before the first cup of tea was served shortly after 3.30pm.

Jo said members kept the stop open until about 10.30pm when highway traffic had eased.

Reviver helpers Jo Guthrie and Tania Quin (rear) with Miles Guthrie, Neko Straub and Oliver Guthrie. LH PHOTO

River camping at a premium RIVER campground sites at Newbridge and Laanecoorie were at a premium over Easter.

More than 40 camp groups were at each spot while Tarnagulla Recreation Reserve was also at capacity. And major Loddon caravan parks at Boort and Bridgewater were at capacity.

In what was the biggest weekend of the best season ever, according to owner Wendy James, Boort Lakes Holiday Park overflowed to temporary sites adjoining the croquet club to accommodate an influx of visitors for the town’s tennis tournament.

And it was the same at Inglewood where motel and caravan park owner Pauline Wellman said all sites and rooms had been booked by visitors to the region.

BUNNIES GALORE The Eddington Easter hay bunny has been breeding. A new hay bunny appeared last week at Woodstock.

Fish, chips, buns and cocktails

FRIDAY FISH Rebecca Buschmann serves up another order. LH PHOTO

FROM the traditional to the bold and contemporary, great Loddon fare was on offer over the Easter weekend.

Wedderburn Fish and Chips had a steady stream of customers on Good Friday picking up orders of fish and ships.

Further south on the Calder Highway at Bridgewater, the bakery again had customers collecting pre-ordered supplies of hot cross buns as they stopped off in town.

Owner Theresa O’Toole said it not was just the traditional variety that had popularity. One of the special styles crafted by the award-winning bakery, chocolate, was a huge hit with customers.

For adventurous adults, the taste of Easter chocolate was taken to a new level at the nearby Bridgewater Hotel.

Publican Viriginia Hyland concocted a new cocktail for the long weekend. Bunny Under The Bridge had Chocolate Luxe Baileys, Vanilla Galliano and Heathcote Chocolate Gin for patrons enjoying live music.

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card or receive Jobseeker, Youth Allowance, Abstudy or Austudy; you do.

For the latest Coronavirus information go to peterwalsh.org.au or follow us on

Go to www.compare.energy.vic.gov.au orthrough. call my office We are in this together, and together we will get Peter Walsh MP 496 High Street, Echuca 3564 Tel: 5482 2039 or 1300 467 906 E: peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au

Invites you to our next network dinner Wednesday 4th May 2022 6 for 6.30pm Bridgewater Hotel Dinner - Order off the menu GUEST SPEAKER Lincoln Fitzgerald (Loddon Shire CEO) Bookings to SUE BROWN 5437 3258 / 0409 198 974 - RSVP April 25

10 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

ISSUE FOCUS EACH week during the federal election campaign, the Loddon Herald is asking candidates in Mallee a series of questions on local issues.

Today we publish all responses received from candidates on road funding.

Candidates were asked: z Rural roads are in a far worse state than those found in metropolitan and major regional cities. What plans do you have to lift the level of funding for rural road maintenance? z Loddon Shire Council maintains a number of rural roads on behalf of Regional Roads Victoria (VicRoads).

What plans do you have to provide funding for councils s who do the work of RRV? z The Calder Highway is the major road connector between Melbourne and Mildura. However, the section through the Loddon Shire passes through Inglewood and Wedderburn and there are no passing lanes between Bendigo and Wedderburn, while all substantial highway improvement in the past 20 years has been south of Bendigo. What are your plans to address highway improvements north of Bendigo and increase the safety of motorists and pedestrians in highway towns?

The state of our roads STUART KING (UAP)

RURAL roads are a disgrace!

Their current condition is a failing of all current and previous Liberal-National and LaborGreen governments. Roads are just one of the obvious indicators of the contempt that Federal and State Governments have for regional Australia and in particular how the National Party no longer represents rural people adequately.

United Australia Party will invest significantly in national infrastructure projects, including roads, by allocating a fixed percentage of government revenue to regional Australia. Road funding can’t just be based on population or traffic counts - it needs to take into account the economic value the road generates.

This investment supports our other regionally focused policies, such as a 20 per cent tax concession for businesses and individuals living and working in regional Australia. This will drive economic growth, support for manufacturing and processing, and increased population, leading to sustainable communities in the regions.

As an elected representative of Swan Hill Rural City Council, I understand the challenges rural councils face with the costs of road maintenance. I am absolute-

ly committed to improving the funding arrangements for rural councils as the current model is financially unsustainable.

This may include a fixed percentage of revenue funded directly to councils to sustain their budgets for road maintenance and other services they deliver.

Sending funding directly from federal to local governments also improves the efficiency of finance delivery and cuts out unnecessary waste through multiple layers of bureaucracy, like the State Government.

I would also advocate for better distribution of funds from State Government revenue sources to regional councils and road projects. Rural Victorians make a significant contribution through vehicle registrations for example, but these funds never seem to make it to the regions.

I remember as a child travelling the Calder Highway from our farm west of Swan Hill to Melbourne, and again later in life driving trucks and buses. Unfortunately, nothing much has changed along this route north of Bendigo in over 40 years except deterioration. The Calder Highway is a road of National significance and should be treated and funded as such.

The UAP is committed to the funding of Nation Building Infrastructure projects. This includes

the Calder Highway in the Loddon Shire region and beyond, all the way to Mildura.

We will also better fund the rail freight networks, including the Murray Basin Rail Project, which will assist in taking some of the freight from roads such as the Calder Highway, improving the safety of motorists and pedestrians, and the liveability, in highway towns.

SOPHIE BALDWIN (IND) LOCAL government funding must be prioritised. The outdated population based funding model is not adequate to address or maintain local government maintenance and improvement responsibilities. Our roads are delivering essential freight to major cities and ports across the country and are crumbling under the pressure, not to mention the safety risk to everyday drivers. Our shires must be better funded to help mitigate risk and not by continually increasing rural rates either, but by an improved funding model.

We need to stop playing games with local vs state vs federal funding. The constant arguments around who funds what road is getting ridiculous. Our roads need a bipartisan long term approach to ensure fair and equitable road funding and not just an election promise.

Rural roads are nation building infrastructure and provide vital connections to move across the country, passing lanes are an essential part of doing that safely.

Bendigo to Wedderburn is a 75km stretch of highway without a single passing lane and future road funding must not just be about the city voter but rather about long-term sustainable planning. We deserve to drive on safe roads and I will fight for increased funding to ensure this is possible.

ANNE WEBSTER (NATIONALS) IN MY first term of government, I have secured over $500 million for roads in Mallee. It’s clear however, that more needs to be done. People should be safe driving at all hours of the day or night. In regional Australia, our roads require a great deal of investment to ensure that they are safe for all road users. It is also vital our commodities can efficiently get to market or to port.

I will keep fighting to ensure that Mallee gets the investment it needs for road infrastructure, so that families can return home safely. I will continue to fight to ensure that the State Government delivers on the Murray Basin Rail Project, of which I fought and delivered as part of the Nationals team, a further $200 million last year.

Greens name event manager as candidate

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THE Greens have endorsed Ballarat event manager Sam McColl as their candidate in Mallee.

The announcement brings to five the number of confirmed challengers to the Nationals’ Anne Webster.

Mr McColl told social media followers: “I am a 26-year-old man who is passionate about the power of young people and knows how important young people are to rural communities. I am born and bred in rural Victoria and now reside on Wadawurrung country.”

He is venue and events manager at Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute and director of Green Eggs and Ham, a film and design production business he started in 2020.

The Greens achieved 3.5 per cent of the Mallee vote at the 2019 federal election, failing to have the $2000 candidate deposit refunded. Candidates must receive at least four per cent of the vote for a refund.

Meanwhile, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party at the weekend announced it would be running candidates in all 151

Sam McColl House of Representative seats. No announcement has been made on the party’s Mallee candidate.

It was reported yesterday that Carole Hart, Labor’s 2019 Mallee candidate, would stand again at this election.

Postal vote option for home residents AUSTRALIAN Electoral Commission will not be visiting hospital and care facilities with mobile polling booths for the May 21 federal election.

The AEC told the Loddon Herald: “We have been working with local and federal health authorities and we will be running mobile voting teams in remote communities and some settings, however we will

not have teams visiting hospitals given the COVID environment.

“Those affected can apply for a postal vote to have their say.”

Candidate nominations close today and postal votes are expected to be mailed out from Tuesday.

Applications for postal votes close on May 18.

WHAT ARE YOUR QUESTIONS OF CANDIDATES? Terms and conditions, fees and charges apply. All information including interest rate is subject to change without notice. Full details available on application. Lending criteria apply. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited ABN 11 068 049 178 Australian Credit License 237879. (1547274-1571319) OUT_2898607 , 17/09/2021

WHAT’S one question you would like an answer from candidates on before the May 21 election?

Send yours to the Loddon Herald by

email to loddonherald@gmail.com and we will select reader questions to put to each candidate. Your name will not be published unless you wish.

Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 11

Group sows plans to rejuvenate networks A YOUNG farmer network will be established for the Loddon in a new push by Birchip Cropping Group to to support the future of agriculture.

The Loddon group will be one of seven across central and northern Victoria.

Others will be formed in Gannawarra, Swan Hill, Buloke, Yarriambiack, Hindmarsh and West Wimmera council areas.

The network has received funding from the Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund.

The group says its new network will bring young farmers together to socialise, improve their farming knowledge and create and strengthen their professional networks.

The seven local groups are expected to start meeting postsowing with and in action by July.

Group CEO Fiona Best said the network was a reinvigoration of the organisation’s GAPP (Growth, Adoption, Production and Profit) program with the Young Farmer Network placing a

strong focus on leadership from within each group.

“BCG is led by farmers for farmers,” she said.

“We continue this ethos with the BCG Young Farmer Network.

Each group will be given the opportunity to drive their own re-

search and knowledge requirements, supported by a budget of $5000 for activity expenditure per annum.

“This can be used to fund whatever each group decides is their priority, whether that be specialist advice or representa-

tion, product demonstrations, field trips, barbecues, crop-tours.

“BCG will guide, facilitate and support the groups.”

A further $5,000 will be provided to each group for on-farm trial work using farm scale equipment or BCG’s specialised trial machinery to expand on a research or demonstration idea.

“BCG see the Young Farmer Network as an opportunity to support all young farmers as well as farm advisors, being a BCG member is not a prerequisite,” she said.

“The emerging generation of farmers have identified that building strong social and professional networks is fundamental to what can be an isolated profession.

“The Young Farmer Network will act as a catalyst for growth, connectedness and inclusion amongst early career farmers and young local agribusiness professionals and will be a valuable platform to share ideas about best farming business practice,” Ms Best said.

Grains council funds precision training day A GRAINS Research Development Council precision agriculture workshop has been announced for the Loddon.

The council has provided funding to the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia and grower groups to develop and deliver free training to growers across Australia.

Special presenter at the August workshop in Pyramid Hill will be Adrian Roles, a mixed farmer from Young, NSW, growing canola, winter cereals, pasture production and merino sheep.

Precision agriculture is a farming management concept based on observing, measuring and responding to inter and intra-field variability in crops.

The workshop will be a collaboration with Birchip Cropping Group.

The group has also committed to a second year of trials at its southern pulse agronomy research site at Mitiamo where soil ripping has commenced.

The Fodder for the Future project, a collaboration with Murray Dairy, aims to address challenges around the fodder market to benefit broadacre and dairy farmers in cereal, vetch and mixed species hay crops.

The groups says Mitiamo is an ideal location because it is in a region where both cropping and dairy industries co-exist.

VFF fears basin water pitch VICTORIAN Farmers Federation SAYS jobs across regional Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia will be lost if Labor’s policy for water recovery is implemented under the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

President Emma Germano said Federal Labor’s five-point policy showed a total misunderstanding of the Basin Plan and a total disregard for jobs in regional communities. “(Leader) Mr Albanese’s plan for pushing on with the 450GL up-water target will result in buybacks and will suck more water out of irrigated agriculture,” she said.

“We know what this does because we’ve seen it before – it kills jobs and kills regional communities.”

VFF water council chair Andrew Leahy said Mr Albanese and his team had shown they do not understand the Basin Plan and had failed to consult Basin communities.

“The recovery of the 450GL up-water target was never guaranteed in legislation

and was always subject to socio-economic neutrality,” he said.

“This was later reaffirmed with the socio-economic test that was unanimously agreed by Basin state and federal governments at the 2018 Ministerial Council meeting.

“The 450GL can only be recovered if there are no negative social economic outcomes.”

“Federal Labor’s five-point plan only mentions its desire to achieve positive outcomes for South Australia, but totally ignores all the negative impacts. We know from analysis previously carried out by the VFF that the Basin Plan has already cost 10,000 full time agricultural jobs with over 5,000 coming out of Victoria.”

“Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville has been unequivocal in ensuring there are no buybacks and understands the impact these issues have on local jobs,” he said.

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12 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

FEATURES

1. How many hearts does a timelord have in the TV show Doctor Who? 2. To which family of musical instruments does the ophicleide belong?

3. What is the largest citrus fruit?

4. Who was the first person to reach the South Pole?

5. Name the Italian meat sauce that is served with pasta dishes.

6. Which famous singer sang the title song to Goldfinger?

7. The DeLorean was type of car that featured in which sci-fi film?

8. True or False – The Phantom of the Opera musical was adapted from a novel.

9. In North America, what is the NHL? 10. Jim Davis is famous for creating which cartoon cat?

11. What is Barbie doll’s full name?

12. In the Wizard of Oz, what colour are the slippers that Dorothy wears?

13. During summer, how many hours of sun does Antarctica get?

14. Which sea creature has the thickest skin of any animal?

15. The Japanese martial art Kendo when translated means what?

16. Where would you find the easternmost point of mainland Australia?

17. In which country would you find the town of Duffel?

18. What was the name given to the largest class of battleship ever built?

19. Which well-known song contest first took place in 1956?

20. What is the second longest river in Australia?

ANSWERS

Inge’s journey from child refugee to proud Australian AUSTRALIA has been 80-year-old Inge Gottschling’s home for 50 years. Most of that time - 32 years - has been spent living in Pyramid Hill.

There, she has enjoyed a life and lifestyle far removed from being born in the later years of World War Two, growing up with little food and few clothes as an infant and toddler.

Being moved from one part of Europe to another and being dragged into air raid shelters as bombs rained down in the final months of war.

Ingrid had been born in occupied Poland, in a village called Hildingen, now known as Kokorzyn.

Her family was forced back to Germany taking only their clothes and whatever goods they could carry on the trip, effectively refugees.

“I have seen so much hardship in my younger years ... getting things to eat,” she said.

Inga’s story will be one shared next Monday at Pyramid Hill’s ANZAC Day service, stories of young people who grew up in war-torn Europe finding their way to Australia for a new life.

She can remember living with her grandmother above a bakery. “It was nice and warm in winter but not so good in summer”.

After the forced move from Poland to Germany, Inge says her family, like others who had been made to relocate, were not respected by the Germans.

“We were refugees in the country,” she said.

Living in what had become the Ameri-

Inge Gottschling can sector of West Germany after the war, there was weekly food parcels to be collected from US posts.

It was vastly different from the daily search for food as Hitler’s Germany crumbled in 1944 and 1945.

“I remember the last year of the war.

We had so many bombs coming down and (it seemed) that forever the sirens went,” she said. “People grabbing whatever they could and going to the nearest shelter.”

“And I remember asking myself why are

they doing this. It was only later and as I grew older that we were given information about what Hitler did.”

Inge said she would often ask her grandmother about the early years of the war but always received an “off limits” response.

But Inge feels a modern fear when reading and watching news reports of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, images of bombed homes and cities.

“That brings back memories ... where are we going as I hope we don’t have to experience another war,” she said.

“They only have to press the button and what would be left? People would die like flies.

“It frightens me. I hope my children and grandchildren never have to experience what I went through ... I’ve lived through the real aftermath of war and it was a very hard pill to swallow.”

Inge said the world today was very different to 1945 when Germany, and then Japan, surrendered.

She feels that many of the current problems come down to people not talking.

“People don’t seem able to communicate enough,” Inge said.

As a child of the war, Inge says that coming to Australia and Pyramid Hill gave her life a purpose.

Four years after arriving in Australia, the former German wharf office worker skilled in the almost lost art of shorthand, became an Australian citizen.

“I had permanent residency and after completing four years, you could become an Australian citizen. I did.”

YOUR GUIDE TO ANZAC DAY SERVICES BOORT

Memorial Hall

10am

PYRAMID HILL

Memorial Hall

BRIDGEWATER

Memorial Hall

6am

TARNAGULLA

Soldiers’ Memorial Park

6.30am

CALIVIL

Calivil Hall

10.30am

WEDDERBURN

Dawn Service Soldiers’ Memorial Park

6.15am

INGLEWOOD

March from RSL Hall to memorial followed by service

10.50am

KORONG VALE`

Borella Park

MOLOGA

Memorial, Joneses Lane

9.30am 8am

10.15am

March from Mechanics’ 10.45am Institute to Soldiers’ Memorial Park followed by service In Memory of the Fallen

1. Two 2. Brass 3. Pomelo 4. Roald Amundsen 5. Ragu 6. Dame Shirley Bassey 7. Back to the Future 8. True (written

by Gaston Leroux) 9. National Hockey League 10. Garfield 11. Barbara Millicent Roberts 12. Ruby 13. 24 14. Sperm whale 15. Way of the sword 16. Cape Byron 17.

Belgium 18. Yamato 19. Eurovision 20.

Murrumbidgee River

Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 13

FEATURES

Remembering baker Charlie THE Battle of Menin Road Ridge in September 1917 would be the last for Serpentine baker Charlie Gladman.

The 8th Battalion acting sergeant major would be injured by a German bomb landing less than 10 metres from his group, only to be killed by a second bomb while his troops went for help.

Charlie, 27, would be one of 5013 Australian casualties during that World War One battle a year before peace fell over the Western Front and the world.

For his family at home, life would go on but the memory ever honoured.

For great-nephew Brian, he has become the family’s unofficial custodian of the Charlie’s story.

He is a regular at Bendigo meetings of the Western Front Association where

members continue to discover what soldiers more than a century ago endured in the fight for freedom and democracy.

Brian has also visited the Western Front and the area where his great-uncle saw service after sailing from Australia with reinforcements late in 1915, visited the pyramids of Egypt and then the horrors of war in France and Belgium.

In a special ANZAC feature, extracts from Charlie’s diary tell one story of war.

Brian Gladman

Pyramids and trenches FROM THE DIARY OF SGT GLADMAN

JANUARY 1 1916

other lance corporal and 30 men left out of the company and the nerves of a lot of them were shattered, few men stood the awful strain.

Landed at Suez 2pm arrived camp 1am. A fresh water canal runs parallel to Suez Canal, is fed by Nile. A narrow strip of desert is cultivated intensely right along this canal. The strip if only 200 yards to 400 yards wide. One man got killed on journey, he stepped of f tram and fell through a hole in bridge.

JANUARY 25 1917

Moved up to Bazentin le petit, stayed 24 hours in huts then moved up to the front line. The snow has not commenced to thaw, the ground is hard and like polished marble.

JANUARY 3 1916

APRIL 15 1917

I met one of the Stayleys from Inglewood, he tells me various other Inglewood boys are at this camp. I also saw several chaps that I knew around camp.

Today we went for a march of about four miles across the sand, the going was heavy. During the night heavy rain fell. A great quantity of it came through the hut roofs which are only weatherboards, the result was any blankets and clothes got very wet.

Received a sudden call to arms at 4am. It seems the Germans have broken through our lines in one place ... we moved up to a position on a sunken road on the left of Beaumetz and dug in, and the rain too. The Germans had brought up three special divisions and succeeded in breaking and penetrating our lines and took the village from us ... but before midday they were all driven out with the loss of 1200 killed and 600 prisoners in our hands so they gained nothing by their move.

MARCH 3 1916 More sandstorms cease work, swim in the afternoon it was glorious. I washed a shirt and underpants.

MAY 8 1917

We spent rather a lively 24 hours. We had to come into the trenches through a heavy barrage, we were fortunate though and only lost a few men.

MARCH 31 1916 Landed at Marseilles. The view entering the harbour was lovely ... our camp was in a hollow among the hills a very pretty spot and there we dawdled away our time until April 2 at 7.30pm when we entrained for some unknown destination in the north of France.

JULY 14

After staying at Bufvilles camp a fortnight, we moved to Breste, a small village some 28km from Amiens. We have spent a considerable period of time at this place. The work we did was very hard and wearysome ... tomorrow we leave this place and go to Bray, there I believe we are going to practice pontoon building and then I think up the north.

We go somewhere up near Dunkirk.

APRIL 25 1916 ANZAC Day inspection of battalion

by General Walker our division’s commander.

APRIL 30 1916 We moved out of our billets at half past seven in the evening and marched to the trenches near Fleur Bay. Our Coy C being the only one to go in, the remaining three of the battalion staying in Fleur Bay. We are acting as support to the firing line behind about 200 yards.

Our duty in case of an attack on our front trenches is to make a counter attack ... one doesn’t get much sleep at this game. I only had 2½ hours last night and about the same the night before. The German guns do a lot of bombarding, a lot more than ours. Yesterday they fired

in an hour 200 shots at one of our batteries without doing any damage to the guns. April 30: Were severely bombarded for two hours but had no casualties.

The place was an inferno for a while.

MAY 19 1916

One chap got poking his head over the parapet too much this morning and got a hole drilled through it ... I received eight letters today, it was a pleasure.

JUNE 23 1916 (now in Belgium At 9pm, moved up to the trenches, reached there at 12, had a bad trip.

JULY 7 1916

Fritz surprised us by shelling our position. He must have seen our smoke (fire), one chap was hit slightly.

JUNE 26 1916

A repetition of yesterday but if anything the bombardment was heavier, our trench was full of killed, the wounded we put into a deep dugout until night.

Our experience was a terrible one, it was just a matter of waiting to be killed or wondering whose turn it would be next ... by now we had only one corporal, an-

JULY 29 1917

Just had 10 days leave in England and go back to France tomorrow.

This was the last entry Charlie Gladman made in his diary. Less than two months later, Lance Corporal Jack Larkin wrote to Charlie’s sister Ivy: “Charlie met his death on the morning of Thursday 20th September when we made a very successful push and advance to the east of Ypres. “I indeed have lost one of my best comrades ... will you kindly accept my deepest sympathy on the loss of your good brother.”

14 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

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

DEATH NOTICE Graeme Bligh 04.11.1942-19.04.2022 It is with deepest regret to inform you of the passing of Graeme.

Respected member of the Wedderburn Engine Club, Korong Vale Fire Brigade, Wedderburn Lions Club, Wedderburn Men’s Shed.

The funeral notification through Korong Vale Fire Brigade facebook page

TAYLOR - Mary Josephine (formerly of Tandarra) Passed away quietly in her sleep on April 13, 2022.

Aged 88 years

PUBLIC NOTICES

2022 Australian Chrysanthemum Championship

Floral Art and Horticultural Show Laanecoorie Mechanics’ Institute Hall Sat April 23 9am-4pm Sun April 24 9-3pm Adults $5 entry Children free

Dearly loved wife of Ray. Mother of Rosemary (dec.), Maxine (Rodgers), Shane (dec.), Leanne (dec.), and Lance (dec.). Adored grandma of 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

EMPLOYMENT

Celtic Connections

Sunday 24th April 2022 Bridgewater on Loddon Railway Station community house (Erskine St) 10.00am-4.00pm  Enjoy Celtic music- Irish and Scots pipe, band brass band  Byo seat & rug  Stalls  Food

Admission $5 adult pensioners gold coin children under 16 free

TAYLOR A Mass of Thanksgiving for the life of Mrs. Mary Josephine Taylor will be held at St. Liborius Catholic Church, 377 Eaglehawk Road, Eaglehawk, on TUESDAY (April 26) at 10:00 am. At the conclusion of Mass the cortege will leave for the Eaglehawk Lawn Cemetery.

We currently have a casual school bus driving position working out of Serpentine and reporting to our Moama Depot. Reporting to the Depot Manager, this position will cover a local school run potentially with regular ongoing school term hours.

The successful applicant will require a current Heavy Vehicle License, Vic Drivers Certificate, as well as Vic Working with Children Checks.

Company expectations include:  Picking up and setting down Passengers as per service within the specific time schedules.  Provide a high level of customer service at all times.  Have a strong focus on Safety.  Profession driving manner.

Missed by all

FUNERAL NOTICES

Casual School Bus Driver Serpentine

Temporary Street Closure The following street in Bridgewater will be closed to through traffic on Sunday 24 April 2022 between 10am to 4pm to conduct the Kooyoora Women’s Network Celtic Connections:  temporary closure of Erskine Street from Main Street to Railway Station Community house  access from Eldon Street onto Erskine Street.

Ph Jenny Hosking 54 373198 for information/stallholders MUST BE VACCINATED,COVID RULES APPLY(IF NEEDED)

CLASSIFIEDS CONNECT

 Effective communication with other team members Dysons is prepared to work with the successful candidate to obtain Drivers Certificate and Working With Children requirements.

Please direct any queries to: Depot Manager – (03) 5480 2139 If you would like to apply for this position, please forward a 1 to 2 page summary of your experience to Matt Squires – Regional People & Culture Advisor (email: regionalcareers@dysongroup.com.au) Dysons is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer PICK UP YOUR FREE LODDON HERALD HERE ...

Loddon HERALD FREE EVERY THURSDAY

Circulating throughout communities in the Loddon Shire 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

BOORT NEWSAGENCY BRIDGEWATER BAKEHOUSE BRIDGEWATER & BENDIGO BRIDGEWATER CARAVAN PARK CAFE BRIDGEWATER HOTEL BRIDGEWATER NURSERY BRIDGEWATER POST OFFICE BRIDGEWATER SERVICE STATION CHARLTON NEWSAGENCY DINGEE STORE INGLEWOOD IGA INGLEWOOD MOTEL INGLEWOOD POST OFFICE STEVE’S EMPIRE HOTEL KANGAROO FLAT POST OFFICE KORONG VALE HOTEL MARONG GENERAL STORE MITIAMO STORE NEWBRIDGE HOTEL PYRAMID HILL POST OFFICE

PYRAMID HILL BAKERY COFFEE BANK PYRAMID HILL VICTORIA HOTEL PYRAMID HILL TARNAGULLA POST OFFICE TARANAGULLA COUNTRY CAFE TARNAGULLA SUPPLY STORE SERPENTINE POST OFFICE SERPENTINE SERVICE STATION RAYWOOD MOTORS WEDDERBURN NEWSAGENCY WEDDERBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE WEDDERBURN FISH AND CHIPS 24 KARAT CAFE WEDDERBURN ODD CUP CAFE WEDDERBURN BENDIGO CENTRE NEWSAGENCY DUNOLLY FRIENDLY GROCER

Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 15

Staley wants return of road, bridge programs

Jack Palfreyman makes a bee-line to Bridgewater Fire Brigade captain Tim Fergsuon to deposit his donation to the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday appeal while (left) Inglewood’s Bob and Maureen Grambau are pictured with Zali Smith, Brooke Anderson and Abby Wilson.

LH PHOTOS

RIPON MP Louise Staley MP wants the State Government to reinstate the Country Roads and Bridges Program in next month’s Budget.

She said the previous Liberal and Nationals Government’s Country Roads and Bridges program delivered guaranteed funding to Victoria’s 40 rural councils to assist them in maintaining their road networks.

“One of the first actions of the incoming Andrews Labor Government was to abolish the popular Liberal and Nationals Country Roads and Bridges Program. Seven years later and council owned roads in country areas are in as bad a state as

the State Government’s VicRoads roads which are also underfunded,” she said.

“Local roads are in such poor disrepair that we shouldn’t have to wait for a change of government to fund them, so Daniel Andrews needs to act now to bring back the Country Roads and Bridges program.

“Country Councils have big road networks and small populations, so they need help to maintain their roads.

“As an MP covering eight rural local government areas, I’m thrilled a Liberal and Nationals government will reinstate the Country Roads and Bridges program,” she said.

Seniors get more travel vouchers LODDON senior citizens have been given access to another 10,000 travel vouchers.

The State Government on Monday announced the vouchers would be distributed to eligible seniors who had previously applied through the senior travel scheme ballot.

The vouchers to encourage people to travel around Victoria.

The eligible travel period for the vouchers in the latest release is from last Friday

until May 27. Vouchers can be used for accommodation, tours and experiences across the state.

According to Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas: “Victorians have embraced the travel vouchers and the dining and entertainment programs, demonstrating that people are ready to get back to experiencing the best our state has to offer ... with plenty of places in regional Victoria and the city to explore.”

LODDON HERALD

BUSINESS, TRADES & SERVICES

ADVERTISE IN THE DIRECTORY - $66 A MONTH - PHONE 0419549743

16 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

ARTS

Clicking the Celtic way THE clickety-clack of knitting needles is relentless as Jenny Hosking beavers away creating another woolen beret.

With accelerating rapidity Mrs Hosking hooks the yarn over alternating needles while talking enthusiastically about her journey as a bespoke knitter, never dropping a stitch.

She had learnt to knit as a teen under the watchful eye of her mother, back in an era when lovingly home-sewn and knitted garments were a defining symbol of skill and innovation among families in rural Australia.

“I’ve been knitting more years than I care to remember and back in the 1980s I would knit jumpers for the children with patterns of animals,” she said.

“Then while doing the ironing one night about 10 years ago, I decided to have a go at knitting berets.”

Within months, Mrs Hosking was knitting berets using yarn in the colours of famous Scottish tartans and showcased

them for the first time at Scots Day Out in Bendigo in 2013.

Invitations have since followed to attend other Scottish events around Victoria and the Ballarat Art Gallery’s acclaimed Auld Lang Syne exhibition.

“The Scots are proud of their tartans but it’s not every day they can put on a kilt,” she said.

“So they come to see me at events like Scots Day Out in Bendigo, we match the colours of their tartan and within two weeks, they have a beret to wear whenever they wish.”

The popularity of Mrs Hosking’s Bridgewater Berets has grown among clan associations, pipe bands and highland dancing groups across Australia and even overseas.

“It’s exciting to think there is demand overseas for berets made in Bridgewater. I have already sold a few to New Zealand so I guess word is spreading,” she said.

Hand-knitting has been part of the Scot-

tish craft movement for centuries but Mrs Hosking’s ancestry is devoid of Scottish blood.

“I’m a wannabe Scot who enjoys the culture with its music, dancing and the great history attached to every tartan,” she said.

“It’s great sitting at Scottish events knitting away and being totally immersed in the atmosphere of the day.

“Scots are such a witty and friendly people. They are enjoyable to be with, eager to talk about their heritage and learn about how I knit berets.”

This Sunday, Jenny’s love of Scotland is behind the Kooyoora Women’s Network Celtic Connections celebration.

Jenny has used your ever-growing network of Scottish and Irish friends in central Victoria to assemble musicians and stallholders for the day that runs from 10am at Bridgewater-on-Loddon Railway Station community house.

In between organising the day, Jenny is sure to be creating another beret!

Ready for Celtic celebrations in Bridgewater ... Jenny Hosking.

Craft lovers set to trek region CRAFT and art lovers will be meandering through Loddon communities this weekend as they take a tour of Goldfields towns.

Tarnagulla, Laanecoorie and Dunolly are part of this year’s Tiny Towns Arts Trail billed by organisers as the chance to “discover hidden treasures and luscious local secrets buried in the creative heartland of the central Victoria.”

The trail stretches from Clunes to St Arnaud.

Headlining the local involvement is Frances Clarke at Tarnagulla’s Octopus and Queen where a new mural will be unveiled on Saturday morning and high teas served over the three days of the arts trail.

At Laanecoorie, where the Australian Chrysanthemum Championships are being held, local ceramic artist Robyn Smith-Clark will open her home studio for a first-time local exhibition.

And Rosie Pamic at Squirrel Gully Saffron Farm, between Tarnagulla and Dunolly, will be providing hampers for Tiny Towns trail trekkers with hampers.

In Dunolly, nine arts businesses will be part of this year’s event.

Tiny Towns Arts Trail has been running since 2015 and each year’s trail is unique, with new artists joining the trail.

Designed specifically for artists by artists, Tiny Towns Arts Trail is regarded as one of the few opportunities for creative workers living in the area to network with other local and regional artists, and showcase their work offering much needed exposure for their creative practices.

“It is our mission to build a strong network for central Victorian artists and to keep arts alive and thriving in our region through the arts trail and by creating, promoting and supporting events and opportunities for artists all year round,” organisers said.

Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 17

Whistling along to 500 VETERAN Loddon Valley football umpire Glenn Catto has notched up his 500th game with the whistle.

The milestone came earlier than expected when Glenn was called to double up in the league’s opening round.

He umpired the under 18 and reserves matches at Calivil.

Glenn had played with Calivil between 1992 and 1998, includ-

ing five years coaching the reserves, before taking a break from the game.

But a decade later, and after coaching the Loddon Valley inter-league side for two season, he was part of a group determined to keep contributing to junior football.

They formed an umpires’ group and initially trained with North Central umpires before

joining with the Bendigo group for an administrative base.

“I was pretty happy to reach 500 games,” said Glenn.

“I’m the last of the originals left ... not surprising as I was probably about the youngest when we formed.

“We started to make sure the kids had a good standard of umpiring and that’s why we are still together.”

Glenn played with Bridgewater as a junior footballer from 1974 before lining up with Dookie when at agricultural college.

Injury kept him off the field for two years but he returned with Bridgewater from 1982 to 1990 followed by a short break before joining Calivil.

Glenn said there was a great spirit around the Loddon clubs that made umpiring a joy.

SPORT Panthers primed and poised THE prowling Panthers face an undefeated Mitiamo in a round of key matches with the resumption of Loddon Valley football on Saturday.

Marong has decimated the defence of Bridgewater and Maiden Gully in the opening rounds.

Mitiamo was similarly on fire against Bears Lagoon Serpentine but was pushed by Newbridge before the Easter break.

And while the Superoos have not lost a game in almost three years, coming up against the might of Panthers’ Grenfell and Robins plus the depth Marong has accumulated in both seniors and reserves, Saturday is looming as a real test.

The result could well be determined by who has the most players available.

At Bridgewater, cross-river rivals Inglewood will be aiming for a third straight win and honours in the ANZAC weekend match to honour a legend of both clubs, Eddie Harrison.

Pyramid Hill will officially unveil its new electronic scoreboard when hosting Bears Lagoon Serpentine and should celebrate with the higher score.

And Newbridge is poised to open its season account when meeting a very disappointing and depleted Maiden Gully.

Pyramid Hill v Bears Lagoon Serpentine Mitiamo v Marong Bridgewater v Inglewood Maiden Gully v Newbridge

Pies are chance

VAN and Jed Harrison (front) were among enthusiastic youngsters attending golf clinics in Inglewood during the school holidays.

The clinics have been run by golf professional Tahlia Holmberg who is pictured with Van, Jed and Inglewood IGA’s Peter Moore.

IGA made a donation from its Community Chest fun to support the golf club’s initiative introducing youngsters to golf and the local club. The clinics also attracted adults keen to take up the sport.

LH PHOTO

IN BRIEF HARRISON Condliffe has returned from the annual St Arnaud Easter tennis tournament with the under 15 singles’ runner-up trophy.

He made the final on Saturday but the weekend of play was cut short by rain that saw scheduled play washed out.

Badminton starts THE new Boort badminton season starts tonight. Competition organiser Mubarak Meera Sahib said play would start at 7.30pm and it was hoped to attracted new players for the season.

Past player group INGLEWOOD Football Club is forming a past players group. A sub-committee including Glenn Billett, Corie Birthisel, Paul Williams and Paul Byne are organising three functions at Blues’ home matches this season.

SEND YOUR SPORTS NEWS AND RESULTS TO loddoherald@gmail.com

BOORT could open its North Central league account when playing Charlton on Saturday.

The Magpies have had a torrid start to the season and travel to Charlton, meeting the only side below them on the ladder.

Wedderburn is at home to St Arnaud and should continue its early season dominance.

Much interest will centre on the clash of undefeated Birchip Watchem and Donald.

18 | Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022

SPORT

Savage retires on 14

JARROD Savage has lifted the Boort Easter Tennis Tournament champion’s trophy aloft for a 14th and final time.

The most dominant player in the event’s 68-year history announced his retirement from competitive tennis after the weekend’s 7-6 6-4 win over Jarrod Rodda.

The Heathmont club professional has only been denied victory twice in the men’s singles since notching up his first win in 2006.

“I had decided before Friday’s final that this would be the last tournament,” he said.

And a groin injury during the tense final cemented his call.

“I’ll still keep coming to Boort at Easter for the tournament, just I’ll not be playing,” said Jarrod who has been a part of the tournament for 30 years.

His parents began what has become a family tradition now into a third generation with Jarrod’s children joining the strong Heathmont club contingent.

Jarrod said Saturday’s win had been his fourth match for the day and considered himself lucky to have won the first set tie-breaker and take the match in two sets.

“I’ve been taken to three sets in finals a few times over the years,” he said.

“Boort at Easter has always been a great weekend, a family tradition playing tennis and skiing on the lake,” he said.

“We’ve grown up coming to this tournament and I’ll still be here, just not playing any more.

“I’ve been coming since I was five. So why stop?,” the champion said post-match.

Sizzling run to debut ladies’ win FIRST-TIME Boort tournament competitor Danielle Bowles dropped just six games on her way to taking out the premier ladies’ title at the weekend.

She defeated seven-time singles’ winner Natalie Savage in the final 6-2, 6-0.

END OF THE ROAD: Jarrod Savage retires from competitive tennis after winning his 14th Boort championship at the Easter tournament. LH PHOTO

Sophia Herrington, Meredith Thompson, Dianna McDonald and Kylie Spokes keep the kitchen running during the tournament. LH PHOTO

Adam Clohesy LH PHOTO

Des Coffey

JUNIOR SINGLES - Boys’ Section 1: Charlie Moore d Jack Gross. Section 2: Alex Glasson d Jeff Doherty. Section 3: Cooper Gooding d Jackson Inifer. Sectikon 4: Archie Telford d Des Coffey. Girls’ - Section 1: Charlie Telford d Madeline Inifer. Section 2: Liliana Telford d Lulu Doherty.

JUNIOR DOUBLES - Boys’ Section 1: Charlie Moore, Alex Glasson d Jay Gerads, Liam McKeown. Section 2: Aiden Geals, Jackson Inifer d Caiden Hicks, Patrick Spokes. Girls’ Section 1: Amelie Watson, Charlie Telford d Madeline Inifer, Lucy Watson. Section 2: Liliana Telford, Abbey Tran d Indie Gooding, Abby Potter.

MEN - Section 1:Eddie Wu. Section 2: Lachlan edgar. Section 3: Riley Riley Kotwic.

Section 4: Adam Clohesy. Section 5: Adam Glasson. LADIES - Section 1: Gen Davies.

Section 2: Charlie Telford.

MIXED - Section 1: Natalie Savage, Jarrod Rodda. Section 2: Susan Kamau, Mick Cannington, Section 3: Jordan Wu, Grace Centofonti. Section 4: Kristen Gooding, Damian Lanyon. Section 5: Liliano Telford, Charlie Moore. Section 6: Liane Weaver, Keith Chapman-Stewart. Section 7: Nicola Shaw, Christian Glasson. Section 8: Tanika Kelly, Simon Kelly.

ROUND ROBIN MIXED DOUBLES - Section 1: Steve Doherty, Glen Daly. Section 2: Robert Hicks, Charlie Telford. Section 3: Nick Burn, Sandra Daly. Section 5: Christian Glasson, Lachlan Edgar. MEN - Section 1: Kevin Boots, Jayden Watson. Section 2: Matt Catterson, Hayden Weaver. Section 3: Alex Glasson, Chris Glasson. LADIES - Section 1: Natalie Savage, Grace Centofanti.

Section 2: Charlie Telford, Madeline Inifer.

VETERAN’S MIXED DOUBLES - Section 1: Danielle Bowls, Jayd Davis. Section 2: Maggie Geals, Darren Geals. Section 3: Annette Glasson, Paul Watson. 60+: Heather Chalmers, Stephen Moore.

FAMILY MIXED - Section 1: Jacob Tran, Sherylle Tran. Section 2: Aiden Geals, Maggie Geals. Section 3: Mark Doherty, Lulu Doherty. Section 4: Jayd Davis, Kyra Davis.

FAMILY MEN - Section 1: Charlie Moore, Ricky Moore. Section 2: Alex Glasson, Christian Glasson. Section 3: Caiden Hicks, Rob Hicks. WOMEN - Section 1: Danella Bowles, Isabella Bowles.

Locals Paul Harris, James Grose, Kristen Gooding, Rachel Weaver and Damien Lanyon before playing in the doubles. LH PHOTO

LH PHOTO

Archie Telford

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Loddon HERALD Thursday April 21, 2022 | 19

SPORT

Laurie has drive to succeed

LAURIE Witham has returned from Bowls Victoria’s region championships with a a stronger conviction to master the sport and grow his local club.

The two-time Wedderburn champion was the first local for many years to be selected in the Wimmera side this month.

Selection followed Laurie taking out the Wimmera champion of champions, adding to a successive club singles title and the season’s pairs victory.

His rise in the sport comes seven years after taking up bowls when the Wedderburn club “was short of players”.

Between games in the club’s Easter tournament, Laurie said his journey had evolved from a “fill in” lead in the pennant team to now include acting as local greenkeeper and qualifying as an umpire.

“I’m also studying to be an accredited coach. That’s how much I love bowls,” he said.

“We want to build the club’s numbers and having an accredited coach is one way to achieve

that,” said Laurie who says he had come back every season “learning more about bowls, people and greens”.

“I believe that each year I can go further,” he said.

“When I was thrown into the job as skip of the rink, it was a matter of sink or swim. Luckily I was able to swim and learn more about the shots and practice, practice, practice.

“I guess I am best when working hard. I’m a driven person and if we are beaten, try to work out why, train harder and make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Laurie said some of his best bowling was played at the state event in Moama.

While Wimmera only notched up one win and a draw, Laurie said the team’s performances when drawn against the state’s top regions augured well for the future.

“Many of those other games only had a few shots in it. With tweaking we are not far off being in the top four,” Laurie said at the weekend.

Korong Vale’s John Gibson. LH PHOTO

It’s been a super season for Wedderburn’s champion bowler Laurie Witham after gaining his first regional team selection. LH PHOTO

Wedderburn’s Ian Hall. LH PHOTO

Wedderburn’s Alan Montebello. LH PHOTO

Dunolly’s Syd Webb. LH PHOTO

Goldfields teams achieve tournament double joy LEADING Goldfields playing area club Dunolly dominated Wedderburn’s annual Easter tournament.

Dunolly took out the triples and fours event, adding to its season successes that saw it win the Division Two pennant and finish a Division One finalist.

Players from those two teams were in the Easter weekend combinations. Bowlers also came from across the central and northern Victoria and Melbourne.

Thursday pairs had 44 players on the Wedderburn rinks.

Winners were Sheryl Howard and Jenny McHugh from Kangaroo Flat, runners up Peter and Karen Waters from Dunolly.

Friday triples had 66 players where Dunolly’s Waters was again on top, lead-

ing his team to victory over the local combination of Laurie Witham, Andrew Caserta and Neale Holt.

Third were Allan Jackson, Col Marchment and Col Mills from St Arnaud.

Saturday fours had 56 players contesting the tournament’s blue ribband Con Jackson Memorial.

Dunolly’s team of Greg Dobbin, Alan Weir, Matt Vernon and Sheryl Howard won the prestige event with Laurie Witham, Andrew Caserta, Mario Guelfo and Rob Guelfo (Wedderburn) finishing second Third in the fours was Geoff Rigby’s team from Donald.

Wedderburn officials were pleased with capacity entries and strong competition over the weekend.

Dunolly’s Paul Chase and Frank Mifsud assess the state of play. LH PHOTO

Loddon HERALD UMPIRE NOTCHES UP 500 GAMES

sport

Thursday April 21, 2022

STORY PAGE 17

WHISTLE BE GLENN’S BIG RECORD

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Schleich collection ...

So much fun for the little ones!