ANZAC plans are announced

DEAN Lockhart will be guest speaker at Wedderburn’s ANZAC commemoration service next month.

Wedderburn-Korong Vale sub-branch secretary Ric Raftis said Mr Lockhart, assistant principal at Wedderburn College would talk on his exploits along the Kokoda Track.

“We have been waiting several years now to hear Dean speak but COVID has always seemed to thwart his appearance. The services will also include considerable representation by the students from Wedderburn College,” he said.

The service this year will be at the RSL gardens, preceded by a march of veterans and community groups from the Mechanics’ Institute Hall at 11am.

Colouring and literary competitions have been established by the sub-branch for college students this year.

Mr Raftis said: “This is most definitely a special day for all Australians when we come together to remember those who served and gave their lives so that we may live in freedom.

“It is also a day to consider how fortunate we are to be living where we do and not being savaged by the brutality and ravages of war that results in the loss of so many lives including so many innocents.”

The Dawn Service will be in Jacka Park at 6.15am and Mr Raftis said a lone piper would be part of the solemn commemoration.

Meanwhile, Mr Raftis said the subbranch has been working with the Korong Vale community and there was now an ANZAC Day committee to facilitate the the day in Korong Vale.

The committee is headed up by Ron Weston and includes Murray Keller, Darren Quigley, Amber Gibson and Glenda Booker.

Korong Vale’s service will be at 9.30am.

Mayor Dan Straub has said councillors would formalise its position on plans to send the 500 kiloVolt transmission lines through the Loddon Shire.

Cr Straub and CEO Lincoln Fitzgerald were at a briefing for Murray Group of Council representatives earlier this month where Mr Fitzgerald asked AEMO for additional consultation and advertising of the process and an extended consultation period. AEMO has since scheduled a consultation pop-up for Wedderburn tomorrow morning and a pop-up was held in Boort within days of the new preferred option being named.

Consultation ends on April 5.