Crossing voice call

RESIDENTS have started a petition demanding a long-awaited pedestrian crossing be installed on the Calder Highway at Wedderburn.

Retired nurse Cheryl Fowler launched the petition at the weekend after seeing an elderly resident struggle to cross the busy highway.

“There was a frail lady using a walking frame trying to cross the street and struggling with turbulence from trucks as she walked from the doctor’s surgery to the chemist,” Cheryl said.

“This is happening all the time and people are frightened.

“Trucks and other vehicles speed through town .. our shopping area.”

Cheryl said she had already received support for the petition from Wedderburn business owners wanting installation of a pedestrian crossing.

She said underground services were installed when the town’s streetscape was upgraded five years ago.

“VicRoads, the TAC and Government run road safety cam- paigns but they only tick the boxes and they don’t produce action to make local roads safer,” she said.

“All is ready to go to install the crossing. It’s sad nothing has been done ... this is a chance for the Government to act before someone is hurt.”

Cheryl said she had spoken with Loddon Shire’s Wedderburn Ward councillor Gavan Holt and Ripon MP Martha Haylett.

Cr Holt said the need for a pe- destrian crossing had been raised with Calder Highway Improvement Committee over the past 15 years.

He said underground electrical cabling installed during streetscape works meant the project could quickly proceed if the Department of Transport received funding.

Cheryl said copies of the petition would be sent to Transport Minister Ben Carroll, Roads and Freight Minister Melissa Horne,

Award finalist

WEDDERBURN’S Crystal

Hardiman is a finalist in Bendigo Zonta Club’s award for indigenous women and girls’ achievements. The Wedderburn College VCAL dux last year will join other finalists at Bendigo’s NAIDOC week flag raising and awards in Bendigo next Friday.

Blazeaid donation

VICTORIAN Farmers’ Federation has donated $50,000 to natural disaster relief organisation Blazeaid to help regional communities and farmers continue to recover after Victoria’s recent floods.

“Farmers and regional communities are still picking up the pieces, months after record floods devastated so many,” said president Emma Germano. Blazeaid’s first recovery efforts after October’s floods were in the Bridgewater district.

Dog owner warning government transport and road safety agencies and Ms Haylett.

Wedderburn’s push for improved road safety through the Calder Highway town adds to calls this year to lower the speed limit in Inglewood and a pedestrian crossing in Bridgewater.

Cheryl said she did not understand why the Department of Transport had rejected previous requests for a Wedderburn crossing, The department has been contacted for comment.

THE Loddon Herald has been contacted by several Inglewood residents with warnings of poisoned food found by owners walking their dogs in recent weeks.

Numbers stable

OFFICIAL; statistics show there were eight COVID-19 cases reported in Loddon communities last week, the same as a week earlier. Across the state, new cases dropped 35 per cent last week.

Maiden glow shines on resources

CATALYST Metals maiden mineral resource has shown high grade gold deposits at its Four Eagles project.

The mining company’s initial resource on exploration in the Mitiamo district said Four Eagles Gold Project delivered 665,000 tonne at 7.7g/t for 163,000oz Au.