Angry Loddon councillors have blasted the State Government’s new emergency services levy.
Weeks from the tax’s introduction, councillors on Tuesday said the Government was hitting rural communities, taxing volunteers and launching a money grab.
“(It’s) a mistake made at a higher level,” Cr Nick Angelo said at the council meeting before backing a recommendation calling on the Government collects its own taxes.
“Make no mistake, it’s a tax,” said Cr Miki Wilson.
Council wants the levy collected by the State Revenue Office. Chief executive officer Lincoln Fitzgerald’s recommendation said: “Local government should not be required to have any part in its collection”.
The levy will see a predicted jumped of up to 300 per cent for Loddon farmers and businesses, based on current land valuations. A revaluation could be made before July 1, risking bigger hikes.
The Loddon Herald last month revealed the shire had been forced to collect more than $2.5 million in fire service levies from ratepayers in 2024-2025 and hand it over to the Government.
An analysis showed almost $15 million had been sent to Spring Street in the last decade but barely $5 million returned to support local fire brigades. Mayor Dan
By CHRIS EARL
Straub told Tuesday’s meeting the promised new Serpentine fire station continued to be delayed.
Cr Straub said the new emergency service levy - double the fire services levy - was “throwing dirt in the face of volunteers”.
Mr Fitzgerald said the Government had also forced councils to use their own resources to collect unpaid levies.
“This tax, which is required to be passed on in full to the State Government, is shown on council rates notices as one of several line items that combine to make up the total rates bill due from a property owner,” he said.
“Consequently, it is a common incorrect perception that the fire services levy is being collected by council, for council.”
Mr Fitzgerald said there wre significant cost implications of the new levy that would be largely be borne by farming properties.
“This levy will increase income to the Victorian Government to fund services which have traditionally been funded from other taxation income,” he said
Mr Fitzgerald said council had received no advice from the Government on how the new levy would be implemented.
Council will also tell the State Government that it expected “to be criticised for the significant levy charge”, opposes the current form of the levy and wants ongoing funding support for its administration
Offering an undulating allotment with laneway livestock movement system, fencing is
new internally and some external. Set up comprising 6 main paddocks with 2 containment yards. Soil is sandy loam Ironstone mix on the rises, the main cleared body of land being grey & red Mallee soil. Water is from 5 dams with 2 GWM Pipeline points connected. Suitable to all facets of Agriculture including Cropping, Hay/fodder and Livestock, approx. 85% fully arable. Other improvements include 3 stand shearing shed with attached undercover sheep yards and single living quarters (connected to septic). Please note,
THE Festival of Small Halls rolled into Inglewood on Saturday night with an international brand of folk music infused with local performers for an enjoyable evening. Among more than 100 people to celebrate the festival bringing touring acts to the Loddon
Loddon HERALD
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WEEKEND FORECAST
Sweetness of good gum life
SWEET flowers, nectar and sap of the Loddon’s famous blue eucalypts had helped birds adapt to life in Australia.
According to audio ecologist and author of Deep Listening in the Bush, Andrew Skeoch, the success of eucalypts adjusting the Australian soils and rivers had benefited the lifestyle of birds in the region.
Mr Skeoch explored birds, their calls and native trees during his address at Inglewood Eucalyptus
Distillery Museum on Sunday for National Eucalypt Day.
He explained to more than a dozen people in the museum theatrette how to better hear the sounds of birds and frogs in the bush.
“National Eucalypt Day is also a celebration of living in this country and how we relate to the land,” he said.
“It is a festival on our natural landscape that is significant and important.”
Museum committee secretary Murray Baud said: “There’s no better place in the whole world to celebrate National Eucalypt Day than at the world’s only distillery museum.
“We’re always looking for ways to welcome locals and visitors to the Eucy, so we were delighted that Andrew agreed to come to present his talk. We’re proud to be part of this National Day and also to show off one of Loddon’s special attractions.”
IN BRIEF
Lighter waste
HARD waste collections by Loddon Shire Council as part of Clean Up Australia Day this month were down on last year. Council said there had been 566 collections, including 153 items of e-waste, 120 white good items, 168m3 of furniture, 156m3 of metal and 104m3 of waste. In 2024, there were 629 collections, including 157 e-waste, 98 white goods, 259m3 of furniture, 226m3 of metal and 149m3 of waste.
Upper House
‘farce’ MURRAY Plains, Peter Walsh, has launched a campaign to end group voting tickets in the Victorian Parliament’s Upper House. Mr Walsh says when a politician can get elected on just 1.53 per cent of the vote “then clearly the system is a farce”. “Northern Victoria’s agricultural industry has been blatantly victimised by a Member for the Legislative Council, elected with just 1.53 per cent of the vote,” Mr Walsh says. Animal Justice Party’s Georgie Purcell won her seat in 2026 with the small primary vote. Gastronomy festival
GREATER Bendigo is planning a gastronomy festival to promote the region, including Loddon, on 2026. “This is an ambitious plan to develop and grow a nationally recognised gastronomy festival,” said Bendigo council.
Andrew Skeoch (second left) gets the good oil on eucalypts from Corrie Holty, Robyn Holtham and Pauline Wellman. LH PHOTO
Asbestos tests at centre of historic store’s future
THE fate of Inglewood’s historic Jennings store damaged by fire last August could be decided within days.
Test samples for an asbestos audit were taken last Friday from the Brooke Street ruins and the rear section of 1866 building that survived the fire.
The facade and sections of the triple-brick walls were knocked down when the parapet threatened to topple across Brooke Street in the hours after the August 27 blaze.
Joe Price, of Bendigo-based asbestos management and audit company Safety Systems, said results would take about a week.
Owner David Oakley said he hoped to at least save the rear section of the 1866 triple-brick building that could be hit with a demolition order.
He even mused that an asbestos all-clear could allow the bricks to be used to rebuild the front section of the store.
Mr Oakley, 87, resumed trading within hours of the fire with customers continuing to come from across the region to buy chickens. The recent egg shortage has spurred sales.
He has owned the Brooke Street site and operated his business selling chickens and other rural supplies for more than 50 years.
Protective fencing was placed in front of rubble of the Brooke
David
Street property in the hours after the authorised demolition. Loddon Shire Council last year said it was working with Mr Oakley “who will be required under the building regulations to obtain a building permit to carry out the
clean-up and any further works if required, to make the building structurally sound.
“The works will require a registered building practitioner in the category of demolition.
“These contractors are expe-
Rescue teams arrive at Bridgewater on Friday night
River rescue man being treated for spinal injuries
POLICE and State Emergency Service volunteers brought a man stranded on a Loddon River island to safety after unsuccessful attempts by friends to rescue him on Friday night.
The man, 22, fell from the disused railway bridge at Bridgewater before 8.30pm and received suspected spinal injuries after dropping metres into the river and taking refuge on the island.
Senior Constable Mick Balazs estimated the man was on the island for 90 minutes before an SES boat arrived and brought him to the river bank.
“They (family and friends) did attempt to unsuccessfully rescue him themselves with straps but he fell back down,” Senior Constable Balazs said.
“Probably all up he was down there for 90 minutes but most of that was waiting for SES with a boat to recover him. Once the boat was in the water it was a quick process to grab him and handover to ambos.”
Police and SES were called to the scene soon after 8.30pm with Marong unit volunteers bringing the region’s rescue boat to Bridgewater. The Calder Highway traffic bridge and Bridgewater Hotel carpark were closed while search lights were erected In 2022, a Murrayville man swam to the banks after his car crashed through bollards and ended in the river at Bridgewater. Police divers from Melbourne assisted in recovering the vehicle.
rienced in the required disposal of the demolition materials,” the council said. Jennings Stores traded in Inglewood from 1860 to 1968. Mr Oakley has been operating his business since the late 1970s.
IN BRIEF
Longer season ‘unviable’
AN EXTENSION to Loddon Shire’s swimming pool season this year was considered unviable, according to a council spokesperson. For a second year, temperature went into the high 30s in the week after the season ended. The spokesperson said: “The current pool management contract (with Belgravia) does allow for a season extension. The option of a season extension is directly related to two factors: the number of temperature related closure days during the contracted pool season period which provides additional days that can be used at the end of the season and the prevailing weather conditions. Loddon Shire Council experienced very few closure days during the 2024-2025 pool season, as a result a season extension was not considered financially viable.”
Dune drifting
WEDDERBURN College Year
9 students have returned from their camp at Hopetoun that included everal canoeing sessions, and visits to Snow Drift sand dunes and Lake Tyrell.
Treaty talks
THE State Government and First Peoples’ Assembly Negotiation Delegation have met to progress negotiations for Victoria’s first stat-ewide treaty..
Joe Price and
Oakley in the ruins of the historic Jennings Store on Friday. LH PHOTO
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STATE OF WATER
Pressure on GMW to fix channel flows
CALLS are growing for Goulburn
Murray Water to fast-track capacity building work on the Waranga Western Channel.
GMW last week said improvements around Bears Lagoon would not be part of its winter maintenance program.
Greater capacity through Bears Lagoon has been identified by major irrigator Tony Sawers as key to helping Boort district farmers avoid a repeat in future seasons of rationing now hitting farm efficiency and production.
Al and Barb Bear at Leaghur have now written to MPs and GMW managers backing action.
“With low water levels in the Loddon reservoirs this year, the Waranga Channel which carries water from the Goulburn system to the Boort irrigation area does not have the capacity to deliver sufficient water to meet the demands of irrigators west of the Loddon River,” they said.
“With the expansion of olive groves in the area and increased summer cropping we do not want this to become an annual event.
“Farmers in the Boort irrigation area will be unable to complete this year’s irrigation program under the current rationing system.
“As a result, irrigating pasture for stock and pre-irrigation for
winter crops will be cut short. This will undoubtedly cause economic losses due to reduced stock numbers and limited crop potential. The rationing system, based on a 10-day cycle, requiring separate delivery shares to be transferred has caused enormous frustration.
“We implore politicians and managers within the GMW organisation to commit to a plan which will increase the capacity of the Waranga Channel connection to the Boort irrigation area and resolve this water supply issue.”
The Bears’ plea came just two days after GMW agreed to a proposal by Mr Sawers for Boort district irrigators who own Loddon water rights to send them flowing into the Waranga Western Channel.
GMW said on Friday it “has identified that rationed customers may be able to receive delivery of more water if it is sourced from the Loddon water system (trading zone 5A).
“Most customers in the Loddon Valley Irrigation Area are supplied from the Goulburn water system via the Waranga Western Channel,” said manager water resources Mark Bailey.
“GMW has investigated the ability for Loddon Valley Irriga-
tion Area customers to access more water from the Loddon water system, in addition to what they can use under the current ration.
“After considering the impact on other customers and system operations, we are supporting customers in these areas to consider this option.
“Customers currently in a rationing cycle will not have their orders affected. GMW will continue to deliver water within the full capacity of the Waranga Western Channel.”
About 370 irrigators in the Dingee, Calivil and Boort areas have been hit with rationing that lets them order water up to 120 per cent of their delivery share over a 10-day cycle.
“This is the first time in decades GMW has needed to use rationing to ensure fair access to water,” he said. “The irrigation landscape and water-use patterns have changed considerably since the last time rationing was implemented.
“This is why we have taken time to carefully investigate all the impacts of any operating changes. It is important to note that subject to demand there is the chance access to Loddon water could be delayed,” he said.
Five make committee pitch as voting opens
LODDON Valley irrigators have started voting for representatives on Goulburn Murray Water’s new customer committee.
Five candidates for the four spots were announced on Monday - Boort’s Tony Sawers, Todd Martin (Durham Ox), Matt Chalmers (Wychitella), Doug Perryman (Mennindie) and Rob Moon (Loddon Vale).
Mr Chalmers has told irrigators: “Like many others our business depends on the timely delivery of irrigation water.
“To ensure our long-term viability we have invested in more efficient means of irrigating (centre pivots and laterals). This has meant we use larger flows for shorter periods.
“To ensure the system can continue to cope with a change in the way water is delivered, we need to plan ahead so that irrigators can get the water they need when they need it.”
Mr Martin, who has previously worked in irrigated cropping research and agronomy, says he wants to communicate to GMW ways that services and water delivery can be improved for these customers.
In his pitch, Mr Moon says: “I have been water services representative for 30 years and feel I have the knowledge and empathy to bring a balanced view to
both irrigators and GMW for the benefit of all.”
Mr Perryman says: “Being both a farmer (mixed cropping (both summer & winter) and some sheep) in the Loddon Valley Irrigation District, as well as working part time as an agronomist in the area for over 14 years, I am in touch with the needs of and experiences had by many farmers regarding GMW and irrigation.
“I am a passionate irrigator and hope that irrigation in my district can stay prosperous far into the future.”
Mr Sawers has again called for modernisation and says: “I believe GMW is losing its customer focus and is generally unduly bureaucratic. It should be reducing and not increasing its real costs. More investment in software and capital works in the right places targeting fairness, and returns to irrigators, would be a big improvement.”
The customer committees are replacing the existing GMW water service committees.
“A major role of the Customer Committees will be to represent the broader interests of their customers, so voting is a good way for customers to ensure their views are heard,” GMW said. Elections are also being held for the Torrumbarry district. Voting closes on April 7.
Community feedback shapes final study scope for VNI West
Throughout TCV’s ongoing engagement with landholders and community members, several key concerns have been raised consistently about the potential impacts of the VNI West transmission project. Late last year, many people took the time to formally share their views through the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) EES scoping consultation process.
That feedback has helped shape the Final Scoping Requirements (now published), which sets out what must be investigated as part of the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) - Victoria’s most rigorous environmental and social assessment.
Four key themes emerged from community submissions:
• Housing availability and potential solutions during construction
• Mental health and wellbeing impact for residents
• Accessibility concerns for farming equipment around transmission lines and the impact of the project on floodwaters
• Biosecurity concerns about the potential spread of weeds or pathogens that could affect agriculture.
Due to these submissions, the final scope reflects these priorities, ensuring they will be properly assessed. You can view the requirements in full here: https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/ environmental-assessments/browse-projects/referrals/victoriato-new-south-wales-interconnector-west-victorian-component
Your voice matters
TCV knows that VNI West will have real impacts on landholders and communities, which is why we remain committed to listening, learning and acting on local concerns.
The EES process will not only assess potential impacts but also explore ways to minimise them – shaped by both technical studies and ongoing community input.
As we continue these studies, we want to keep hearing from you. Local knowledge is critical to getting this right, and we encourage landholders and community members to stay involved.
To find out more about the project, and the EES process, or have your say, visit our website transmissionvictoria.com.au or scan the QR code.
Labor locks in support worker as candidate
CASTLEMAINE disability support worker
Greg Olsen will be Labor’s candidate to challenge sitting MP Anne Webster in the federal election tipped to be called within days.
Last Friday’s announcement came as Family First said its contender for the safe National Party seat would be out-of-home care case worker Ashleigh Grey.
Mr Olsen said he was realistic about the 19 per cent margin in Mallee “but I think it is good to have a choice of candidates”.
“When I was approached (to stand) I considered it an honour to be asked, It’s a big challenge, an uphill battle but important people have choice.”
Mr Olsen said he had travelled into the Mallee electorate last week for meetings in Mildura.
“Talking to people builds a picture of local issues and broader issues,” he said.
Mr Olsen said he believed in equality of opportunity, irrespective of economic background.
“This principle of `opportunity’ is fundamental to people’s sense of purpose, direction and participation in building meaningful lives, it means that no child should be denied access to a quality education
because of family disadvantage and that people have rights of self- determination to pursue vocational pathways that suit their potential and capacities.”
He also said he was a supporter of business and “the integral part it plays in the economic life of communities throughout Australia. From small businesses in the CBDs of country towns to primary producers - small and large - the commitment and challenges in running a rural business are considerable.”
Details to contact Mr Grey had not been made available. However, the Family First platform says: “Ashleigh has championed the importance of traditional family values, believing that strong families are the foundation of a thriving nation.
“Ashleigh has worked toward creating opportunities that allow families to succeed, with a focus on preserving the sanctity of life, keeping girls and women safe, and protecting the rights of children.”
Other declared candidates are Vaughan Williams (One Nation), Nicole Rowan (Greens) and Chris Lahy (Australian Citizens’ Party).
The election is expected to be held midMay.
Mallee miss, says Webster
MALLEE residents will struggle with the cost-of-living for longer under Labor’s fourth budget, potholes will grow larger in regional roads, and the regional health workforce crisis will persist, said MP Anne Webster after Tuesday night’s Federal Budget.
“This is a tricky budget from a tricky government that seeks to deflect blame for rivers of red ink while delivering nothing for regional Australia,” Dr Webster said.
“The Albanese Labor government pretends it never said 97 times before the last election that power prices would permanently come down by $275.
“The Budget provides $75 relief payments for two quarters, a Band-aid for a gaping wound. Australians are smarter than that.
They know their power prices have gone up $1,300 under Labor due to mismanagement of energy policy and a reckless railroading of renewables across Mallee and other regional electorates.
“This is a budget with cheap, election eve tricks of a $5 a week tax cut and two $75 quarterly energy bill relief payments. Meanwhile, Labor’s government spending-
driven home-grown inflation crisis will continue.”
“The Treasurer sought to blame Labor’s debt and deficits on ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, President Trump, wars in Ukraine and Israel or the former Coalition Government and voters are seeing right through that.
“As I told the House earlier today, these have been hard years under Labor and Mallee voters are hanging out for the upcoming election.”
“Labor has squandered the rivers of gold of resources and income tax revenue while delivering no meaningful productivity reform. Regional Australia has missed out ... no new funding for the Stronger Communities program, Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program, Growing Regions program or the Regional Precincts and Partnership program, critical to building community infrastructure in regional Australia.”
“Federal debt will cripple our economy, with a shock jump from the previously projected 2025-2026 $15.8 billion surplus, with a $44 billion leap into the red - a $27.6 billion deficit.”
Your chance to ask questions
QUESTIONS will be put to the Mallee candidates at a Loddon Herald forum next month.
One Nation’s Vaughan Williams and Greens’ Nicole Rowan have already accepted invitations to be part of the 2025 election forum on April 28.
The forum will be held at The Goods
Shed, Inglewood, and also live streamed on the Loddon Herald’s social media platform.
Candidates will make their pitch to local voters and face questions on their stance on issues facing Loddon communities. Reader questions can be submitted in advance to loddonherald@gmail.com or asked on the night.
Greg Olsen Ashleigh Grey
Five years since COVID Lockdown #1
When daily life changed
Only two
-Lockdownrules
MARCH 2020 saw Loddon communities - businesses, residents, students - facing the unknown.
Coronavirus was gripping the nation, the first deaths from the virus dubbed by some as the Wuhan flu and now known as COVID-19 had been recorded and restrictions rapidly rolled out by governments.
And from March 30, lockdowns started in Victoria. Then-premier Daniel Andrews grimly fronting the media daily as the number of people hit with the flu grew.
In the Loddon Shire, schools had switched to remote learning that would be a constant part of the routine for two years as snap lockdowns came and went, only to return again.
Inglewood and Districts Health Service CEO Dallas Coghill was the clinical services director when health services across the shire went on high alert and would later operate testing centres.
Five years on, he says the pandemic changed the way health was delivered and certainly increased the burden on the industry, “some that we are still seeing the effects of now”.
“The during the imposed lockdowns the healthcare industry continued to front up to work each day,” he said.
“This was certainly a challenge for our nursing staff, clinical teams of allied health professionals and our domestic services teams as they navigated the unknowns of what this pandemic would deliver.
“The immediate changes that were implemented to the way that IDHS provided services included staff wearing full personal protective equipment for their eight-hour shifts. The PPE included full length gowns, respiratory masks, gloves and face shields.
“As you can imagine this was quite confronting for staff as it was a significant change in care delivery for a service like ours.
One of the initial challenges was resourcing the PPE and ensuring it was appropriate for the care we provided to our community.
“For our residents and patients
this was also an extremely challenging time. When communication is difficult at times already due to hearing deficits by adding another layer of masks made communication much more challenging not only for our residents.
“Our residents could not see the faces of our nurses and missed the smiles on their faces and this certainly impacted on how we interacted with each other. Not only were there communication challenges but the lockdown created an environment that we could not accept visitors to our residential aged care service.
“The resilience and innovation that our clinical staff displayed in ensuring connectivity with family through facetime calls, posting activities on our social media was certainly well received. One highlight through this period included the IDHS Olympics that was developed by our leisure and lifestyle team.
This provided our residents with something to look forward to and created a fun environment during an extremely challenging time.”
Mr Coghill said Loddon health services ran COVID testing clinics. He said it was not unusual to see lines of cars to up to a kilometre waiting for a test.
“We had people visiting from all over the state to receive a COVID test. The way that we were able to co-ordinate this was amazing and showed again how resilient and innovative small rural health services can be.”
Mr Coghill said the impacts of the pandemic five years ago were still being felt.
“We have only just ceased rapid antigen testing for visitors prior to entry to our facility. We continue to have spikes in COVID presentations that have impacts on how we manage our residents and patients,” he said.
“What COVID did show was how resilient the health care industry is and in particular IDHS clinical staff’s ability to adapt and change to a challenging environment.
“We can be very proud of the service that we provided our community during this challenging time and we cross our fingers that we don’t endure another one,” Mr Coghill said. What are your memories of when the pandemic hit? Share them with the Loddon Herald loddonherald@gmail.com
Priority! Six crossings on upgrade list
SIX Loddon railway crossings will be upgraded under a State and Federal Government program.
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King announced the $54 million program for 32 high-priority railway level crossing improvements.
Local works on the list are crossings on the Bridgewater-Dunolly Road at Arnold and Llanelly will see $3.2 million spent on flashing lights, boom barriers, axle counters. Also on the list are Prices Road and Mologa-Durham Ox Road crossings at Pyramid Hill, Greenhills Road at Raywood and Boort-Charlton Road at Charlton but no details have been released.
Ripon MP Martha Haylett said: “Country level crossings can be dangerous places for motorists, pedestrians and train drivers.
“These upgrades will make such a difference to the people who drive through these level crossings every day,” Ms Haylett said.
Ms King said: “From Swan Hill to Gippsland, this funding is supporting upgrades like boom gates, signage, flashing lights and rumble strips, to better alert motorists and pedestrians approaching regional railway crossings.”
Big camps of hunters at lake for opening
HUNDREDS of duck shooters have camped at Boort district wetlands over the past week for the opening days of the 2025 season.
Game Management Authority and police patrolled Lake Boort and Lake Marmal where there were reports of a small group of protesters ahead of the season’s first shots at 8am Wednesday.
An estimated 500 were at Lake Marmal and 200 at Boort, according to Loddon Mayor and hunter Dan Straub.
Among them was first-time shooter Omar Huseyin who camped with 30-year Boort veteran Huseyin Sonuc, an official of the Australian Cypriot Sport Shooting Association.
“All we want is two birds to eat tonight,” Huseyin said.
On the opposite side of Lake Boort was a group of more than 20 shooters from the Goulburn Valley.
For Gary Baldwin, it was continuing a family tradition. Son Matthew and grandsons Kobe and Hunter part of the group that had arrived ready for the season opening and spent the weekend camped beside the lake.
“There are enough birds in the area. We will roast some for dinner tonight,” he said on Saturday.
Fellow camper Grant Sandfield said numbers this season were moderate. And while some shooters may not have had
their daily bag “the size of a shooter’s bag is governed by the number of birds in an area.”
Rick Bilney, another of the Goulburn Valley Field and Game Club members at the campsite, said hunting prospects would improve with earlier pre-sunrise start to shooting allowed after the season’s opening days.
He said the initial later start made hunting more difficult.
“Once a year shooters can (use those days) to get in the groove and have time to watch and identify birds,” said Grant. The trio of shooters said compliance and training among shooters was high but, according to Gary, authorities “keep putting up hurdles ... each time there is a change a certain percentage of shoots will drop off”.
Grant said: “We try and get the birds to come to us so that we are shooting from a responsible distance”.
Game Management Authority director of compliance and intelligence, Zac Powell said: “The GMA and other agencies are patrolling wetlands across the state, including those in the Boort district, to ensure all hunting and public safety laws are followed. These laws are in place to provide a safe environment for all land users.
“The 2025 duck season compliance data will be available following the end of the season”The season closes on June 9.
Drilling confirms high-grade zircon
HIGH-GRADE zircon has been confirmed near Mysia after latest testing by Falcon Metals for mineral sand deposits.
The company told the Australian Stock Exchange on Tuesday that analysis of December drilling samples showed the zircon contentrate was high-grade with “neglible coatings of clay or iron oxides”.
A statement by managing director Tim Markwell said the Farrelly high-grade zone could produce a concentrate from conventional processing methods without
notable issues and that further drilling was needed.
“The timing of this test work is uncertain and dependent on securing land access for this follow up drilling,which would not only provide more material for metallurgical test work but is also needed to test the size extent of the high-grade main zone at Farrelly,” Mr Markwell said.
Falcon said high-quality rutile and ilmenite with the potential to have improved quality had also been confirmed.
Three generations ... Gary, Matthew, Kobe and Hunter Baldwin at Lake Boort. LH PHOTO
Huseyin Sonuc and Omar Huseyin Crumbing duck fillets ... Grant Sandfield
Study funds will assess town growth potential
GROWTH without water and sewerage could be part of Loddon Shire’s future plans for Newbridge.
Councillors on Tuesday voted to start a land use planning process to find the most appropriate way to grow the town.
They also allocated $300,000 from the strategic fund for investigations, community consultation and strategic planning.
The town’s community planning committee has been calling for connection to water and sewerage to help residential growth.
Council CEO Lincoln Fitzgerald said council had previously advocated for connections.
“While council has undertaken work to understand the feasibility of reticulated water and sewerage, council is not responsible
for providing this service or infrastructure,” he said.
“This work has been undertaken in order for council to determine the growth capacity of the Newbridge township.
“Understandably, as a service responsibility of the Victorian Government, council does not have the capacity or the appetite to expand its service investment or take on debt given its existing under funded obligations and financial position.
“If a reticulated water and sewerage system was to be constructed, Coliban Water would become the responsible authority for its construction, operation and service fee collection.
“It is proposed that council seek alternative ways to grow Newbridge without sewerage.”
Car club’s Alive effort brings healthy rewards
CAR enthusiasts have raised almost $2000 to support Inglewood organisations.
Members of the town’s car and bike club handed over $900 cheques last Saturday to Inglewood and Districts Health Service and Inglewood Ambulance Auxiliary Op Shop before heading to the Logan Pub car show.
President Mick Costanzo and secretary Peter Sommers presented hostel
resident Joe Watts, nurse Cara Pickthorn and lifestyle and leisure’s Julie Waight with the first cheque of the morning.
The donation will be used to support the health service’s lifestyle and leisure program.
Op shop treasurer Faye Orange and secretary Deb Coon received their cheque that will be used to replace defibrillator batteries and paddles.
Mr Costanzo said money had been raised during last November’s Inglewood Alive show and shine event in Brooke Street.
The show and shine is a highlight of the annual street festival and Mr Costanzo said businesses had donated goods to be raffled on the day.
Eight club cars were part of the display of vehicles and motorcycles at Logan later in the day.
The 2025 Loddon Valley O cial Visitor Guide (OVG) is now available to the public. This guide showcases must-visit attractions, key businesses, upcoming events, suggested itineraries, accommodation options, local insights, must do activities and more. You can collect a copy of the OVG at the Wedderburn Visitor Information Centre, Welcome Shops in the Loddon Valley and other Visitor Centres throughout central Victoria. Additionally, many of Loddon’s leading businesses and community events will have copies available.
To download a digital version of the 2025 Loddon Valley OVG, please visit www. loddon.vic.gov.au/Tourism
If you would like to be included in future editions of the OVG, make sure to contact the Tourism Team at loddonvisitorinformation@loddon.vic.gov.au
For a list of events happening in the region, make sure to visit www. visitloddonvalley.com
Time to renew pet registrations
Dog and cat owners are reminded that animal registration rewewals renewals are due by Thursday 10 April 2025. Every dog and cat over the age of three months must be registered.
Registering your dog or cat greatly improves their chances of being returned to you if they become lost. Owners of dogs and cats whose pets are being registered for the rst time with Council must provide evidence that their pet has a microchip.
Please ensure you keep your pet’s microchip details up to date via the Central Animal Register www.car.com.au
If your dog or cat is no longer with you, please let Council know so we can update our records.
For more information, visit www.loddon.vic.gov.au or phone the Local Laws team on (03) 5494 1200.
Cr Dan Straub - Mayor
Cr Gavan Holt
Stacey Keller and Brad McDonald have been married in St Arnaud’s Queen Mary Gardens. Stacey, daughter of Murray and Susan Keller, of Korong Vale, and the bridal party travelled to the wedding in vintage vehicles. Stacey and Brad’s wedding day was a warm 39 degrees. Guests joined the new couple at the reception in St Arnaud Town Hall.
Mick Costanzo, Joe Watts and Peter Sommers
BUSINESS FEATURE
Blooming great specials at great sale
AUTUMN heralds the new garden planting season and on cue, Bridgewater Nursery is celebrating its fifth birthday this weekend with great prices on amazing stock.
“We love bringing our annual sale to gardeners from across Loddon and beyond ... and sharing great outdoor ideas,” says owner Bianca Rothacker.
“Seeing people wandering the nursery and helping them select plants and shrubs is what we do every day. But come birthday time, we make every customer feel even more special.
“Whether they are looking for outdoor garden inspiration and ideas or adding that special touch inside the home, we’ll spoil you for choice this weekend.”
Bianca, who transformed the heritage garage on Main Street Bridgewater into a destination nursery back in 2020, has put together a great array of specials
for the birthday weekend - 20 per cent off indoor plants, hedging, magnolias, natives, proteas, seedlings and all green life.
“Our outdoor decor offerings are also at special prices with 20 per cent off indoor and outdoor pots, concrete statues, bird baths and urns,” she says. “It’s the time of year to plant citrus and fruit trees, with the birthday sale offering 20 per cent off trees.
“And on our discontinued and excess stock lines, we’re offering a fantastic 50 per cent off.”
Bridgewater Nursery continues to help people grow their gardens and enjoys an equally growing reputation for the large range of stock.
“Small business needs local support and we really do thank everyone who has shopped with us in the last five years,” she says.
“Expect to see their utes and trailers out the front again this weekend.”
The Loddon’s greatest range of plants, shrubs, trees and more at Bridgewater Nursery
Night of music warms the good folk
CONSTANT tapping of feet was only interrupted by applause at Inglewood Town Hall on Saturday night.
They were the outward signs of a warm welcome to folk and acoustic musicians taking the stage when the Festival of Small Halls rolled into town on its tour of country Victoria.
The 11th stop of the 2025 roadshow had music fans and locals mingling on the town hall lawns before the first musical notes were projected from the stage that is still flanked by a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth, King Charles yet to grace the 1883 building.
Flavours of Loddon devotees were indulging in servings of paella from Little Sangria or fairy floss from Crazy Floss before heading inside to sip on Black Wallaby wines on their way to seats in the hall and the balcony.
FESTIVAL OF SMALL HALLS
Hall committee president Enzo Scafati said the historic hall was a wonderful venue for music performances and the festival’s arrival great for the town.
“We’re bringing people together,” he said.
His introduction had the crowd of more than 100 people primed for the first round of applause when local artists Justin Lewis and Christopher Dane opened the night’s music.
Justin and Christopher had only minutes earlier, been among those relaxing outside on the lawns.
UK-born, Canada-based folk singer Lucy Farrell showed why she is at the forefront of contemporary English folk music.
And the warm vibe of Inglewood was stoked when Aussie duo Hat Fitz and Cara capped off a night celebrating music and small halls.
Justin Lewis (left) earns applause from daughter Maddie and Courtney McBurnie. LH PHOTOS
UK folk artist Lucy Farrell entertains in Inglewood (above) while Jo and Nick Dane relax on the lawns pre-show (left) and hall committee president Enzo Scafati and treasurer Kirsten Ward (below) beam wth the success of the evening.
Leagh Rowe and Bruce Cousins Mason Hopf, Glen Hodgson, Anne Marie and Gary Davis
The Australian wool market has continued to strengthen, recording another overall rise, making this the fourth selling week in a row where the market has risen. The national quantity rose to 40,144 bales. On the first day of selling, the benchmark AWEX Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) added 4 cents. This stretched the upward run of the EMI to nine consecutive selling days. This equalled the run of nine last seen in November 2016. On the second day the market performed with mixed results, however, there were enough positives within the market for the EMI to record a tenth consecutive rise, this time by another 4 cents. The 10-day run of daily rises equalled the run of 10 posted back in May 2016. A pleasing aspect of the current market spike, has been that it is largely demand driven, as opposed to the common trend over recent months where market movements have been heavily influenced by currency. The EMI also recorded rises across both selling days when viewed in USD terms, adding a total of 10 US cents for the series. When viewed across the last ten selling days, where the EMI has risen in AUD terms, the EMI has only fallen once in USD (4th of March), and even then, it was by the barest of margins (one cent). Across the last 10 selling days the EMI has risen by 70 cents, an increase of 5.9%. When viewed in USD terms the increase is the same, the EMI has added 47 US cents across these selling days, again a rise of 5.9%. Unfortunately, the market closed with a negative tone. The Western region selling last recorded losses in all published Micron Price Guides (MPGs), only the 21-micron MPG bucking this trend. This week the national offering is of a similar size, there is currently 40,831 bales on offer nationally.
Source: AWEX
109 MIDLAND HIGHWAY, EPSOM
Phone 03 5455 6333 Fax 03 8648 5816
Adam Millard | Wool | 0400 499 064
Elders Bendigo | 03 5445 6333
Craig Sharam | Branch Manager/Senior
Agronomist | 0408 188 351
Anton Mannes | Agronomist | 0499 708 044
Nigel Starick | Livestock Manager | 0408 528 322
Chris Anderson Territory Sales Manager | 0408 921 540
Glenn Jackson | Merchandise Manager | 0429 076 459
New branch leader wants better deal
GOVERNMENT over-reach was impacting the agriculture sector, new president of the Victorian Farmers’ Federation Wedderburn branch Chris Holt said this week.
Mr Holt is already gearing district members to voice concerns about the State Government new emergency services levy that could see farmers hit with a 300 per cent increase on the old fire services levy.
The branch has called a special breakfast meeting for early next month to be briefed by Loddon Shire Council on the likely impact of the new levy councils are required to collect and pay to the Government.
He also singled out the lack of effort put in by Government over the controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line project.
“In the rush to sign up to the net zero emissions agenda ... there are other countries moving away from that ... there seems to be no care (for farming communities) and they keep marching on,” Mr Holt said.
“One of the first places governments are looking to extract more is from farmers.”
Mr Holt said the challenge remained for farmers to be allowed to “grow (produce) and get a decent price”.
His strong stance on advocacy comes as new state president Brett Hosking has been critical of governments for their tax hits on farmers and ignoring calls for cash boost to fix country roads.
Mr Hosking wants the Government to pause the VNI West project immediately until they get the community and landholder engagement right.
“We can’t stand idle and watch as prime agriculture land is irreversibly destroyed without consideration to the agriculture industry and the farming livelihoods at stake,” he said.
According to Mr Holt, who took over from long-time president Graham Nesbit this month, interest in farmer challenges and the need for strong advocacy was high among branch members.
“We have good attendances at out meetings and members are wanting to contribute to the future of farming in this district and to have a voice to curb what I call over-reach by government in what we do,” he said.
Bendigo Sheep & Lamb Market Report
The market regained all of last week’s losses. Trade lambs were particularly strong. Sheep were also $5-10 better.
Monday, March 24th, 2025 - Bendigo Yarding: Lambs - 15,000 | Sheep - 6,000 Alex Collins - 0408 314
To discuss the marketing opportunities available for your livestock, contact the McKean McGregor team.
BENDIGO
Chris Holt
Walsh fears saleyard future
A COMPOSTING facility planned within 70 metres of Bendigo Livestock Exchange could jeopardise the Loddon’s biosecurity.
Murray Plains MP Peter Walsh last week told State Parliament the project approved by City of Greater Bendigo was a risk to the future of farmers.
More than one million head of sheep are sold at the saleyards every year. Stock agents have estimated at least 65 per cent of sheep come from properties in the Loddon Shire.
Mr Walsh called for Agriculture Minister Ros Spence to declare the saleyards a sensitive receptor site - an area where there is a risk of exposure to toxic chemicals, pesticides, and other pollutantsunder Environmental Protection Authority Guidelines.
Mr Walsh told Parliament: “Bendigo Livestock Exchange is the major livestock selling centre in northern Victoria, with sheep and lamb sales 46 weeks of the year, as well as special sheep sales from time to time, and total livestock trades of more than one million head annually.
“To assist the logistics of transacting livestock numbers on this scale, there are holding paddocks adjacent to the selling yards in which livestock can be held for a short period.
“The Bendigo Livestock Exchange also creates employment for the equivalent of 70 full-time employees, many of whom are
on site for three days a week.
“All this is being put at risk by (Greater) Bendigo City Council’s decision to allow Western Composting Technology Pty Ltd to develop a composting site within 70 metres of the selling yards at the livestock exchange – effectively the width it takes for a truck to pull in and back up to the unloading ramps. Western Composting Technology will be receiving commercial garden waste and food waste at the site.”
Mr Walsh told Parliament during the adjournment debate on Thursday that alarm bells should be ringing about food waste being trucked in from anywhere in the
state to this site. Meat product illegally imported into Victoria could easily find its way into this site, and there lies the biosecurity risk for our national livestock sector,” he said.
“Estimates put the cost to the Australian economy of a footand-mouth outbreak at more than $50 billion, and that is on top of the devastation and heartbreak of slaughtering millions of livestock.
“Those who recall the UK footand-mouth outbreak in 2001 will remember the TV news coverage of the huge fire piles, as slaughtered livestock were burned to stop the spread of foot-and-
February fleece tops market
GREG and Jo Bear have seen good prices paid for their February wool clip that went under the hammer last week.
The Loddon Vale farmers were among the standouts at the Elders offering - their 157 bales with an average 20 microns picking up the northern region clip of the sale.
Fleeces came from the Bears’ shearing sheds at Loddon Vale, north of Kerang and Moulamein.
Greg said the fleeces had come from 6000 Merino ewes and 1000 wethers. “We did them all in a week,” he said.
The flock is based on Riverina bloodlines from Alma and East Loddon studs.
The Bears’ self-replacing flock has genet-
ics from Kevin Crook’s Tamaleuca Stud at Ouyen.
“We used to shear in February and August but now do the Merino lots in February and the crossbred lambs in October,” Greg said.
And the excitement of achieving prices above the sale average was experienced first hand at the Ravenhall facility.
“It had been some years since we went down to a sale, usually watching from home but decided to go down this time,” he said. “There has been a rising market of late and our yield tests came back really good and that helped us get prices a bit above the market.”
mouth. Generations of livestock breeding were destroyed in one outbreak.
“Foot-and-mouth is endemic in many parts of the world, but not here, and Australia needs to be vigilant to keep it out. So why increase the risk by putting a composting facility which will receive food waste within 70 metres of a major livestock selling centre?”
Mr Walsh said no layers of protocols and rules of operation could guarantee there would not be an outbreak of a livestock disease from locating the composting facility so close to the livestock exchange.
Satisfied with risk reports, says council
GREATER Bendigo City Council is standing by its decision to allow a waste plant to operate within metres of the livestock exchange.
“Biosecurity risks were considered at every stage of the approvals processes and will be appropriately managed by Western Composting once operational as they are required to adhere to enforceable conditions attached to both of the approvals,” a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
“Following objectors withdrawing their VCAT appeals, the Western Composting facility has been approved at Wallenjoe Road, Huntly.
“The two approvals the facility now has are from the Environment Protection Authority (in terms of the Development Licence) and City of Greater Bendigo (in terms of a planning permit).
“With the benefit of a range of technical reports including a baseline environmental assessment, environmental risk assessment, and odour assessment, both regulators assessed that impacts of the facility were acceptable having regard to impacts on the City of Greater Bendigo owned and operated livestock exchange.”
Agriculture Minister Ros Spence did not respond to the Loddon Herald.
Greg and Jo Bear after last week’s sale where they had the region’s top offering
Flynn Lock at the Bendigo Livestock Exchange on Monday. LH PHOTO
sheep and lambs
NUMBERS wound back to 12,530 lambs to be down nearly 6800 head at Bendigo on Monday.
Quality was mixed and from a broad viewpoint plainer than a week ago, with less weight at the top end of the exports and limited neat trade lambs.
It was a dearer market with buyers showing more genuine interest over most classes of stock compared to last Monday’s erratic sale. Price gains of $6 to $15/ head were common.
Some processors didn’t buy their usual numbers as carcass cost points increased.
The big mover was pretty trade lambs with a handful of pens in the 22-25kg cwt range selling from $215 to $232/head to go over 900c/kg.
But this money was limited to a few sales, with most trade and heavy lamb categories returning averages of 780c to 820c/kg cwt. In dollars the heavy export lambs remained in a similar price band of $243 to a top of $277/head but on less weight the carcass price estimate was closer to 790c/kg.
A category which received much better support today was the heavy 26-30kg lambs which picked up by $12/head after selling from $209 to $244/head.
Some fed heavy trade Merino lambs in long skins made from $190 to $227/head. General run of trade lambs over 22kg cwt from $170 to $210/head, with just a handful of neat pens higher to a top of $232 when a couple of
domestic buyers clashed. Best description MK processing style lambs $125 to $155/head. Smaller and mixed penlots of lambs mostly $70 to $120, with very little to suit restockers.
There was a slight decline in sheep supply to 6800 head. Quality was plainer with less weight available and more small lots of less than 30 head coming forward after pregnancy scanning.
Price results varied and there was some softer outcomes but good lines of mutton were firm to dearer, costing buyers either side of 450c/kg cwt.
Big crossbred ewes $127 to $154/head on less weight and quality this week. Merino ewes with frame and wool from $120 to a top of $168/head. General run of light and trade sheep mostly $60 to $110/head.
EXOTIC LAMBS
Hilton Park Lagoon Bears Lagoon (79) $187, G & V Sabo Little Hampton (43) $175, Grant Pendlebury Kamarooka (4) $172, S Bugter Kyneton (16) $168.
HOGGETS
Hilton Park Lagoon Bears Lagoon (26) $147.
CROSSBRED LAMBS
ALB & R McIntosh Wanalta (86) $277, RJ & DM Johnston Boort (73) $276, WB Bennett Moulamein (36) $265, SN & DA Collins Bridgewater Nth (45) $265, Peter McRobert Toolleen (15) $264, WJ Whatley Goornong (28) $258, MT Shea Barfold (15) $244, B Baldwin Gre Gre South (45) $244, R & N Comer Drummartin (101) $243, AB & KB Broom Neereman (61) $239, Gredgwin Ridge Boort (121) $239, S Bannow Beveridge (30) $232, Ravens-hoe Pastoral Ravenswood (96)
$225, B & E Kerlin Corop (65) $220, FJ & MM Deane Wahring (32) $220, EJ Chambers Marong (41) $218, JR & KA Kennedy Pyramid Hill (45) $216, Nutbyrne Pty Ltd Knowsley (70) $212, R & B McKenzie Elmore (56) $209, D & H McKinley Leichardt (35) $209, Stevenson Family Trust Lake Charm (71) $207, Robert Niven Elmore (28) $205, JC & LJ Younghusband Powlett (36) $205, P & R Spowart Pyramid Hill (33) $203, LJ & HL McPherson Ravenswood (20) $200, Kaniera Holdings Culgoa (99) $200, AJ & CR Dalrymple Charlton (35) $200, Bolangum Hills Gre Gre (32) $200.
MERINO LAMBS
SN & DA Collins Bridgewater Nth (57) $227, H & A Peverill Wycheproof (69) $211, MJ Byrne Axedale (133) $190.
A & L Dennis Calivil (92) $150, WB Bennett Moulamein (16) $145, R Weeks Colbinabbin (38) $143, GF & CM Rathjen Colbinabbin (129) $137, O’Rourke Nominees Boort (81) $135, IA & AL Rathjen Colbinabbin (77) $127, PA & TJ & LM Tobin Baynton (180) $124.
MERINO EWES
Nelson Farms Boort (69) $168, TR Barry Culgoa (67) $155, C & C Mann Pyramid Hill (133) $153, Peter McRobert Toolleen (60) $140, A Harris Costerfield (15) $138, AB & L Mann Pyramid Hill (44) $138.
EXOTIC EWES
Hilton Park Lagoon,Bears Lagoon (63) $120.
ORDER OF SALES NEXT WEEK: McKean McGregor, Elders, Nevins, Nutrien Nuttal.
SUPPLIED BY ASSOCIATED STOCK AGENTS
AUCTION - ONLINE ON AUCTIONSPLUS ‘‘FIERY FLAT”
313.5 Hectares / 775 Acres
Thursday 17th April 2025 - 10:30am
‘The River Farm’ in 5 Titles
Loddon West Road
To be offered as a whole:
Extensive frontage of the Loddon River with a mixture of strong Black & Grey loam, with Red loam pockets
Fertile soils, in 4 paddocks
Access to Loddon River & “Hope Creek”
2 Meg/ Ltr HR water right
3 phase power available
90% Arable area with small shelter belts throughout
Terms: 10% Deposit on signing of contracts, Balance 30/60 Days
Immediate working condition (T & C’S Apply) & payment of deposit Register at www.auctionsplus.com.au
Further Particulars / Inspections: Contact Selling Agents Inspection by appointment
James Nevins: 0407 302 900
Email: inglewood@fpnevins.com.au
www.fpnevins.com.au
www.realestate.com .au
www.domain.com.au
students explore courses
SENIOR students from the North Central region attended the Charles Sturt University Explore Day to learn more about agriculture and animal studies courses.
Among the group were students from East Loddon College, Angus Addlem, Lyss Mulder and Blake Smyth as well as Dempsey Lee from Boort District School.
CSU provided informative sessions about their courses and had staff available to help with specific questions about entry requirements and pathway options for students. Students then toured the 2000-hectare farm and observed the use of autonomous cropping equipment and the automatic scales in the lamb feedlot. They also looked at dif-
ferent animal skeletons and tried to guess the name of the animal and whether it was a carnivore, omnivore or herbivore.
They were also able have a discussion with alumni from their current schools who are attending the university, Josh Diss and Alyssa Boyd, who gave them an insight into the CSU student experience. Another past student of East Loddon, Issy Morrison, provided a tour of her accommodation for the students.
Those attending felt that the campus had a very friendly rural atmosphere, and they could visualise themselves becoming students there.
The student experience was supported by North Central LLEN.
1988 Nexus horse float, stock crate to fit truck, small chaser bin, trailing sheep feeder, 5’ 3PL slasher, 30’ AgWare windrower, 14 Disc Connor Shea 3PL seed drill, 1O disc Connor Shea 3PL seeder (parts only), 13 Tyne 3PL scarifier, 13 Tyne 3PL cultivator, Silvan 3PL 15’ boom spray, Massey- Ferguson 3PL hay rake, 8’ 3PL grader blade, 3PL spreader, Crump trailing super spreader, 3PL post hole digger, 3PL PTO cement mixer, 3PL hay spike, 6 x 4 Box trailer, Fencing trailer, over head fuel tank 2200Ltr, 2x overhead fuel tank 500L, cattle head bail
Collectables & Sundries
Ajax wool press, Antique wool table, large quantity of electrical & hand tools, quantity of air compressors, pumps, generators & small engines, large quantity of sundriestoo numerous to mention
TERMS Cash, Cheque, EFTPOS on day of sale. Number system operating, ID required, No GST PHOTOS www.fpnevins.com.au
FUTHER PARTICULARS
James Nevins: 0407 302 900
Luke Nevins: 0418 51 0 166
Local students experience Charles Sturt University
Underground plan has credibility
Pause VNI West and have an open investigation, writes Bruce Mountain
SYNCLINE Energy has publicised their proposal to build underground cables in place of the overhead Western Renewables Link and in place of about half of the Victorian side of the VNIWest overhead line from Kerang to Bulgana.
Is it credible and preferable to the Victorian Government’s highly contested WRL+VNI West proposal?
Syncline Energy claim that their proposed underground direct-current cables will cost about half as much to build, per Megawatt-kilometre, as the Government’s proposal. Syncline plan to bury the cables in the median strip along the Calder Highway from the outskirts of Melbourne to Ravenswood, about 20km south of Bendigo.
From there they will be buried in farmland in getting to the proposed terminal point near Charlton.
Syncline claim to have the support of most of the affected farmers, having narrowed down the route precisely.
Syncline’s claim is transmission capacity at half the cost of construction, less than half the cost of operation, none of the bushfire and extreme weather risk, and a tiny fraction of the social and environmental cost, of the approach that the Government is pursuing. What’s not to like?
Much remains to be discovered. Will new wind and solar farms in western and north-western Victoria be able to access Syncline’s proposed terminal station near Charlton as they had envisaged with the Government’s proposed Bulgana terminal station? Will the median strip of the Calder Highway really be suitable and do affected land-holders really support Syncline, as Syncline says?
Syncline’s CEO states the obvious when he said that his proposal will get no-where without the Australian Energy Market Operator and the Victorian Government’s support.
Afterall without their support, the necessary charges to pay for his project will not be imposed on electricity consumers.
The hope of securing the Victorian Government and AEMO’s support seems to have affected Syncline’s proposal. If their ap-
proach is so much better, why is Syncline proposing to terminate at Charlton in Victoria rather than go all the way to the end at Dinawan, deep into New South Wales?
It has been put to me that promises made to the Electrical Trades Union for the labour-intensive work on the transmission towers and overhead lines, explains the Victorian Government’s support for their giant, capital and land intensive VNI-West interconnection with New South Wales. Accordingly, by ending at Charlton, Syncline still leaves enough labour-intensive overhead VNIWest line for the Victorian Government to buy off union opposition, and so for Syncline to secure the Victorian Government’s support. Similarly, by doffing their cap at interconnection, it might be suggested that Syncline hopes to secure AEMO’s support.
If Syncline’s cost and land access claims are to be believed, their underground cable proposition presents very valuable and important information: a much cheaper transmission solution with none of the weather and bushfire risk and a tiny fraction
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Loddon Herald welcomes letters to the editor from readers. Preference will be given to letters of 300 words or less and must include your name with address and phone number provided for verification (not publicaton). We reserve the right to edit letters for legal reasons. Send your letters to loddonherald@gmail.com
OPINION PIECES
The Loddon
1. Which word for the main part of a church comes from the Latin word meaning ship?
2. There is a Bendigo in Australia, which other country has a Bendigo?
3. Which type of dance starts with W and ends with Z?
4. What is cinnamon made from?
5. What is the official language of Liechtenstein?
6. Fat Man and Little Boy were what?
7. Which Greek letter is shaped like a horseshoe?
8. It is said that Martin Luther set in motion which Christian event?
9. Where is the James Webb Telescope situated?
10. If you were travelling at hypersonic speeds, how many times the speed of sound would you be travelling at?
11. What was the area between trenches called during World War One?
12. How many feature films by Martin Scorsese has Robert De Niro performed in?
13. Where might you find a bellhop working?
14. Which famous painting is believed to show Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini?
15. Cherilyn Sarkisian is the birth name of which famous singer?
16. Fortune favours the who?
17. Who is the Greek goddess of wisdom?
18. What is the only type of mammal capable of flying?
19. Für Elise was written by which famous composer?
20. Merino sheep developed in which country?
of the social costs of overhead lines, is available. This begs the question: why only the Calder Highway? What about the Hume, Western, South Gippsland and Princes highways? This, surely, is the important implication of their proposal.
A government able to embrace this important insight, and able to work effectively with the various interest groups, particularly affected landholders and local communities, will surely find more success in delivering the energy transition that is desperately needed.
Syncline Energy’s proposals seem to be sufficiently credible as to suggest that an immediate pause on WRL+VNI West to allow an open and transparent investigation involving a properly constituted stakeholder reference group, would be a suitable way to proceed.
If the Government can’t find the will to do this, perhaps the Victorian Parliament might.
Professor bruce Mountain is director of the Victoria Energy Policy Centre at Victoria University
THE days are shorter, we’re finally waking up when it’s dark and turning in hours after the sun has set. Welcome to those couple of weeks when the body and the atmosphere say daylight saving has finished but there’s still another week or so to go. How does Bradley of Boort keep going? If his latest Treemendous Sign is any indication, it’s coffee.
THE adjustment of body clocks is as big a challenge for those seasoned international travellers as animals. Keyboard experts say that pets, particularly those with strict feeding schedules, can become quite perplexed by the sudden change in routine of clock adjustment. Dogs may start demanding dinner an hour earlier than usual, while cats might refuse to leave their beds until their internal clocks catch up.
BACK to sustinance andf the fibre to keep the body going. Came across a group of duck hunters at the weekend preparing an evening meal. There was caught game being roasted and then the surprise menu addition ... parma duck. Filleted and crumbled sizzling in the pan. Didn’t have time to sample but the chefs said it would be tender and tasty.
NOW OTF ventured to Charlton on Sunday for a footy function. Great food at The Vale ... but pineapple on the pizza? Couldn’t resist triggering the age-old debate about the tropical fruit being heated and ruined. The little burgers were delish.
ANY wonder then that Bradley sticks to the simpler things like coffee and sleep.
Nave 2. New Zealand 3. Waltz 4. Tree bark 5. German 6. Atomic bombs
Omega 8. The reformation 9. Space
Five times 11. No man’s
bUSHy TaLES BY IAN JONES
Molly’s summer of science
EAST Loddon P12 College student Molly Bolwell spent her summer holidays in Canberra at the National Youth Science Forum thanks to the Bendigo South and Woodend Rotary Clubs.
Molly’s strong work ethic and success in year ten led to her receiving a scholarship from the Rotary Club of Bendigo South to support her success during her VCE studies. Since receiving the scholarship in 2023, the Rotary club has continued to support Molly with expanding her knowledge.
Last May, Molly spoke at a club meeting about her passion for science, her dedication to her studies, career aspirations and her hobbies and interests. This inspired member Lyn Comer to connect Molly with
Lynne Cooper who co-ordinates the science forum for the region.
Molly received a place at the January 2025 National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) as one of 300 students selected from across Australia. The cost of attending the program was almost $3,000 which despite Molly saving money from her part time job was a significant amount.
Bendigo South Rotary Club donated money towards the experience and Tony Plant, a member of the club, reached out to other clubs to source funds for Molly’s experience. Woodend Rotary Club had scholarship funds allocated for a student in science and once Tony shared about Molly’s achievements, her work ethic, dedication to her studies and future career desires,
the club decided to grant her the scholarship.
After attending the forum Molly arranged to present at the Bendigo South Rotary Club’s March meeting to share her experience at the forum and show her appreciation to the clubs.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Woodend Rotary Club as well as staff from East Loddon College.
Molly shared a day-by-day breakdown of the NYSF program, providing information about the purpose and activities of each day, and many photos of the experience.
Her highlights were talking to various scientists and engineers, visiting a hydroelectricity scheme dam, learning about detecting DNA from air droplets/molecules
and making ice-cream with liquid nitrogen.
Molly said: “I’m still curious about a range of areas of science, and I’m interested in the possibility of further study in wildlife conservation, environmental science or engineering.”
While Molly was nervous about stepping out of her comfort zone, she’s grateful she did, and the experience has “had a significant impact on her understanding of careers in science and scientific knowledge and her ability to step outside of her comfort zone into a new place.”
After her experience at the forum, Molly is now looking into international opportunities with the NYSF with a focus on travelling to Britain.
I’m still curious about a range of areas of science - Molly Bolwell
Businesses from far and wide becoming gamer than Kelly, writes Chris Earl
The catch with rise of snatching cheeky social Neds
IT WAS a little selfish to mention but desperate times and all that ... I thought it was worth a cheeky mention.
So wrote a reader at the weekend after trying for an “opportune hit” to recruit Loddon youngsters to a Bendigo football club.
The “recruitment” post had appeared in the Loddon Herald story about Newbridge faltering in efforts to revive an under 17 side.
As we pointed out to the online correspondent, better that Loddon people stay local. Suggested Inglewood and Bridgewater clubs were a better option, and closer, than trips into Bendigo and the higher risk of losing people capital and economic capital from our local communities.
The rise of “cheeky” posts on social media has turned into a phenomena of epidemic proportions.
Businesses and events from far and wide cutting corners, and perhaps costs, as some type of modern-day Ned Kellys roaming the cybersphere to snatch the custom and patronage of Loddon people. Gamer than Ned, they say.
The growing plethora of out-oftown and out-of-shire businesses being allowed to hijack social media pages, started to strengthen the social (and economic) fabric of our local communities.
For example, constant posts about meat sellers popping up, in competition to our awardwinning Loddon butchers who
support their communities day in and day out with friendly service, quality product and support for local organisations.
That is just one example in the explosion of these Neds trying for a cut of Loddon money without contributing to the very social fabric of local towns.
Just as surprising is that administrators of these social media pages, some who don’t even live locally, are willingly allowing their platforms to work against a the timely and concerted campaign by Loddon Shire to boost support of businesses in our towns.
Shop Loddon is a catch cry that should resonate with every resident in every town.
Whether it the supermarket, pharmacy, hairdresser, hotels and cafes, nursery, craft and gift shops, tyre services, mechanics or the butcher, they need our support.
There is certainly interaction with the very nearby communities for events - our friends in Charlton this weekend host the Lyster Opera performance and there will be the reconnection of towns when the football and netball season fires up next week.
But that is very different to the drive-through portable retailers whose only commitment to Loddon communities is to pick up a few more bucks. They may not even stop long enough for a cup of coffee.
People behind some of the town and district social media pages, on reflection, may in future chose to return them to the foundational principles and demonstrate fair dinkum support for our towns, by vacating the business promotion space.
In the process, they would demonstrate being akin to team players, throwing support behind the shire’s campaign to boost local business.
A dent in Ned’s armour to stop these snatching cheeky attempts that only rob our local economy. Good on them for having a try, but as with the impromptu effort to syphon young footballers into Bendigo, we need our communities standing strong and together.
D e At H notice
MARSHALL
Robyn Lynette (nee Wells) 12-02-1953 - 24-03-2025
Aged 73 years
Passed away peacefully at Estia Health, Kangaroo Flat
Dearly loved youngest sister and sister-in-law of Ross and Irene, and aunt of Caroline and Craig, Jane (dec) and John (dec).
Great aunt of Ashley and Angus and great-great aunt of Charlotte, Rowan, Eliza and Hazel.
Sweet is the sleep that ends all pain, We would not wake you to suffer again, In God’s Garden you rest above, In our hearts you rest with love.
public notices
public notices
Temporary Street Closure
The following street in Eddington will be closed to through tra c from 8am to 5pm on Saturday 29 March 2025 as part of the 40th Annual Eddington Vintage and Historic Sprint Meeting 2025.
Playfair Street between McCoy Street and Dunolly Eddington Road Eddington
#SHOPLOCAL #SHOPLODDON
29 MARCH at 2pm30-34 High Street Charlton
Yung Balug Keeping Place
The Museum is situated on the property of Paul & Cathie Haw.
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.
Everyone is welcome. but please call or Email before visiting. Phone - 0417 333 171 Email
Bendigo bowls playing area Division 4 finalists Calivil before their final match of the season
Loddon Valley Tennis Association runners-up Mincha West
Loddon Valley Tennis Association finalists Raywood
Loddon Valley Tennis Association finalists Dingee
Marong and District Tennis Association runners-up Derby
Marong and District Tennis Association finalists Newbridge Upper Loddon Cricket Association junior runners-up Kingower
Upper Loddon Cricket Association senior runners-up Wedderburn Band
Inglewood and District Tennis Association finalists Korong Vale
Inglewood and District Tennis Association runners-up Wedderburn Junction
Inglewood and District Tennis Association finalists Fentons Creek
Last two set in big clash
LEAGHUR and Barrapool will meet in the grand final of the Boort Lawn Tennis Club season tomorrow night.
Leaghur made the decider the hard way, battling past Marmal in a toughly contested semi-final clash.
The score was six sets and 51 games to Leaghur with Marmal ending on five sets and 47 games.
Leaghur won six of the first eight games, but Marmal fought back, winning the last three contests.
Barrapool raced into the grand final with a comprehensive victory over Mysia.
The final tally was 11-66 to 1-27, with four of the Barrapool pairs sweeping their opponents 6-0.
Young Boort star Luke Boyd won two titles at the recent club championships – men’s singles and men’s doubles with his father Greg. Kellie Hare took out the ladies’ singles, while Brodie McPherson won the junior boys category.
The mixed doubles title was won by Jess Dodd and Jared Wilkinson. Ladies’ double Jess Dodd and Anna Beamish.
Marmal lost to Leaghur 5-47 to 6-51
J Wilkinson D Lanyon lost to G. Boyd C..Gooding 1-6. Hannah
D Stuart Gould lost to K. Hare M. Beattie 1-6. Lynette Clarke Brodie McPherson d C. Hurd G. Cunningham 6-2. Hannah D Darby P lost to K. Hare K. Waldron 5-6. Damien Lanyon S Gould lost to C. Gooding M. Beattie 4-6. B. McPherson
D Perryman d G. Cunningham K. Waldron 6-2. J Wilknson L Clarke lost to G. Boyd C. Hurd 2-6. S Gould
B McPherson lost to M. Beattie G. Cunningham 4-6. J Wilkinson Hannah D d G.Boyd K. Hare 6-4.
D Lanyon L Clarke d C. Gooding C. Hurd 6-2. D Perryman S Gould d K. Waldron M. Beattie 6-5. Barraport d Mysia 11-66 to 1-27
PYRAMID HILL
A. Potter L. Boyd d C. Scott G. Bear 6-4. J. Bear G. Malone d J.
Dodd A. Bear 6-3. S. Williamson
M. Stringer d N. Scott R. Wright 6-0. N. Wright K. Ritchie lost to O. Byrne L. King 0-6. A. Potter J. Bear
VICTORIA HOTEL
d C. Scott J. Dodd 6-4. L. Boyd S.
Williamson d G. Bear N. Scott 6-1.
EST. 1874
G. Malone N. Wright d A. Bear O. Byrne 6-4. M. Stringer K. Ritchie
PYRAMID HILL
d R. Wright L. King 6-0. A. Potter
G. Malone d C. Scott A. Bear 6-4. L.
Boyd J. Bear d G. Bear J. Dodd 6-0.
M. Stringer N. Wright d R. Wright
O. Byrne 6-0. S. Williamson K. Ritchie d N. Scott L. King 6-1
VICTORIA HOTEL
EST. 1874
The friendly pub open for meals every day with Friday happy hour, trivia, raffles and a chance to win $1,000
Love our local!
Trading hours
Monday – Open 3.00pm Dinner from 6.00pm
The friendly pub open for meals every day with Friday happy hour, trivia, raffles and a chance to win $1,000
Tuesday – Open 2.00pm Dinner from 6.00pm
Wednesday – Open Midday
Greg and Luke Boyd ... championship winners last weekend
Title courses are released
THE 2025 Australian Easter Orienteering Carnival is coming to the Shire of Loddon, with four events, two at Tarnagulla, and one at each of Inglewood and Mt Egbert near Borung.
This Easter event will attracts around 800 orienteers from Australia and overseas.
Organiser this week released event courses and said the Prologue (for elite competitors) and Family Teams Race competitions on Good Friday will be held at Tarnagulla in the Sandy Creek area.
Elite races start at 12pm and family teams race competitors start from 1.30pm.
The carnival proper starts on Easter Saturday, with the event centre at the Inglewood Botanical Gardens.
Orienteers will follow a map known as Psalm Singing Gully for one of the old gold mining areas and will run through Mallee bushland.
Day two will be held at Mt Egbert Nature Conservation Reserve near Borung, one of the line of granitic hills running northsouth through the Loddon area.
The event centre is just outside the Wychitella Cemetery on Old Boort Road. Easter Monday will see orienteers return to Tarnagulla, with the event centre at the Soldiers’ Memorial Park.
Participants will run through the spur gully terrain east of town with areas of reef mining. The map is known as Poverty Reef, named after the once rich gold reef in Tarnagulla.
Three other events follow on Anzac Day weekend. On Friday, Victorian short races at Andersons Diggings near Dunolly; on Saturday, the Victorian Middle Distance Championships at Wehla Hill. The final event on the Sunday will be the Victorian Long Distance Championships at Mt Korong.
Lunch from 12.00pm
Trading hours
Dinner from 6.00pm
Monday – Open 3.00pm
Pot’n’Parma Night
Dinner from 6.00pm
Thursday – Open Midday
Social Darts Night
Dinner from 5.30pm
Tuesday – Open 2.00pm
Steak’n’Pot Night
Friday – Open Midday
Dinner from 6.00pm Trivia Night
Lunch from 12.00pm
Wednesday – Open Midday
Dinner from 5.30pm
Lunch from 12.00pm
Happy Hour 5.00pm – 6.30pm
Dinner from 6.00pm
Pot’n’Parma Night
With Hot Bar Snacks, Meat Raffle
Thursday – Open Midday
Saturday – Open Midday
Dinner from 5.30pm
Steak’n’Pot Night
Friday – Open Midday
Lunch from 12.00pm Dinner from 5.30pm Sunday – Open Midday All Day Pizza Menu Close 11.00pm
Lunch from 12.00pm
Merger will means stronger league, says McClelland
NORTH Central sport will be strengthened by the merger of Nullawil and Wycheproof Narraport, football league president Mick McClelland said at the league’s season launch on Sunday. Representatives of the league’s eight clubs were in Charlton in preparation for the return of football, netball and hockey next week.
McClelland said the league was again well supported by sponsors.
He said the off-season merger of two clubs to form Calder United would only strengthen North Central football and make the league more sustainable.
Special edition next week
IT WILL be a bumper edition of your local Loddon Herald next Thursday, heralding the start of the 2025 Loddon Valley and North Central seasons in football, netball and hockey.
The Loddon Herald in association with the North Central News and Buloke times is a producing a special winter sports supplementThe Ultimate Quest - looking at our local clubs and their hopes in a winter of community sport
Hockey association president Janelle Barbary said the return of men’s hockey sides at two clubs, including Wedderburn, was a boost for the association in what would be its 60th year.
And in an initiative to boost participation of young people in official role in the netball association, president Kim Fitzpatrick said umpires aged under 18 would wear a green band.
Fitzpatrick said the move would be a way to encourage players, officials and supporters to encourage young umpires.
Both Wedderburn and Boort have away fixtures in the opening round on April 5.
Bulldogs ready to host fifth community charity day
WITH only a week to go until the start of the 2025 football and netball season, Pyramid Hill is holding its fifth charity community day, this year bringing together 10 teams from five different leagues.
Three of the clubs are based in Loddon Shire — North Central’s Boort and Loddon Valley’s Newbridge as well as the host club.
With all proceeds from gold coin entry going to the Pyramid Hill Fire Brigade, the games begin at Mitchell Park Recreation Reserve on Saturday at 11am with football and netball matches pitting Heathcote league’s Leitchville Gunbower and the Golden Rivers side Macorna.
Football matches will be three 25-minute quarters, with no time-on and unlimited interchanges.
Netballers will have access to two courts and can use 90 minutes of playing time in a format that best suits both clubs.
The second footy match between Wandella, another Golden Rivers club, and Newbridge will start at 12.30pm.
At 2pm, Koondrook Barham and Lake Boga from the Central
Murray league will meet in an early preview of their round five clash at Lake Boga Sports Club.
The 3.30pm clash will see Boort play Ultima from the Golden Rivers competition.
Pyramid Hill and Kerang from the Central Murray league will play the final match beginning at 5pm. With Bulldogs fans set to flock to the ground, as well as welcoming travelling supporters from the other nine teams, a large spectator turnout is expected.
Umpires from the Loddon Valley and Central Murray leagues will officiate the football, while club netball umpires will be mentored by Netball Victoria accredited umpires.
The host club believes the day is a chance for rural communities to gather and meet, contributing to community health and wellbeing. Gates open at 10am, with canteen facilities available.
Wood-fired pizzas will be served from 5pm, with a coffee van on site all day.
Free health care checks will be available throughout the day, including hearing tests and skin scans.
- GARY WALSH
April 5
Inglewood v Marong at Inglewood East Loddon v Maiden Gully at Calivil
Bridgewater v Pyramid Hill at Bridgewater
April 12
Maiden Gully v Bridgewater at Maiden Gully
Marong v Pyramid Hill at Marong East Loddon v Inglewood at Serpentine
April 26
Inglewood v Bridgewater at Inglewood
Maiden Gully v Pyramid Hill at Maiden Gully East Loddon v Marong at Calivil
May 3
Bridgewater v Marong at Bridgewater
Maiden Gully v Inglewood at Newbridge East Loddon v Pyramid Hill at Serpentine
May 10
Pyramid Hill v Bridgewater at Pyramid Hill
Marong v East Loddon at Marong
Maiden Gully Bye Inglewood Bye
May 17
Pyramid Hill v Inglewood at Pyramid Hill
Maiden Gully v East Loddon at Maiden Gully
Marong Bye Bridgewater Bye
May 24
Marong v Maiden Gully at Marong
Inglewood v Bridgewater at Newbridge
Pyramid Hill Bye East Loddon Bye
May 31
Inglewood v Maiden Gully at Inglewood
East Loddon v Bridgewater at Mitiamo
Pyramid Hill v Marong at Pyramid Hill
June 7
Maiden Gully v Pyramid Hill at Maiden Gully
East Loddon v Marong at Serpentine
Inglewood Bye Bridgewater Bye
June 14
Marong v Inglewood at Marong
East Loddon v Bridgewater at Serpentine
Maiden Gully Bye Pyramid Hill Bye
June 21
Bridgewater v Maiden Gully at Bridgewater
Pyramid Hill v Marong at Pyramid Hill
Inglewood v East Loddon at Inglewood
June 28
Bridgewater v Inglewood at Bridgewater
Marong v Maiden Gully at Marong
East Loddon v Pyramid Hill at Mitiamo
July 5
Marong v Bridgewater at Marong
Inglewood v Pyramid Hill at Inglewood
Maiden Gully Bye East Loddon Bye
July 12
Bridgewater v Pyramid Hill at Bridgewater
Inglewood v Marong at Serpentine
East Loddon v Maiden Gully at Newbridge
July 19
Inglewood v Pyramid Hill at Inglewood
Bridgewater v Maiden Gully at Serpentine East Loddon Bye Marong Bye
July 26
Maiden Gully v Marong at Maiden Gully
Bridgewater v East Loddon at Inglewood
Pyramid Hill Bye Inglewood Bye
Maiden Gully
Pyramid
August 2
August
LODDON VALLEY UNDERR 18 FOOTBALL DRAW
President’s three - Janelle Barbary (hockey, Mick McClelland (football) and Kim Fitzpatrick (netball) at Sunday’s season launch in Charlton. LH PHOTO
Boort president Craig Scott and Madeleine Scott
Wedderburn’s Danny Fowles and A Grade co-coach Susie Lockhart
Loddon HERALD sport
SIX IN JUNIOR DRAW
SIX TEAMS will play in the Loddon Valley league’s under-18 football competition this season with confirmation that Maiden Gully will field a side.
The welcome news for the league comes after Newbridge failed to find enough players to re-enter the junior ranks despite a willingness to do so.
“It was disappointing, but more so for the club, which was trying to do everything they could to get a side up and running,” league chairman Richard Hicks said.
“The kids were keen, but the parents were not.”
However, Hicks said the Maroons were working hard behind the scenes and were “more than confident” they would be able to field a junior side in 2026.
“So, we’re back to a six-team competition, which is not ideal as we wanted seven, but we’re playing with a revised draw.”
Maiden Gully’s return to the competition will be against last season’s premiers, the East Loddon Rams, at Calivil.
Last season, the Eagles’ senior team was penalised 12 points by the league for the club’s failure to enter an underage side.
That penalty was eventually
By GARY WALSH
rescinded after Maiden Gully protested the decision.
The club also was fined $10,000, of which $5000 was suspended.
In the end, the Eagles would have finished second last on the senior ladder regardless of whether or not the points deduction was imposed.
Maiden Gully’s decision not to have an under-18 team last season in the Loddon Valley league came after the club tried to enter a side in the Bendigo junior competition.
It was intended as the first step in the club moving all its teams to the BFNL but was blocked, given that the Eagles were officially affiliated with the Loddon Valley league.
Both Maiden Gully and Marong had previously made unsuccessful moves to switch to the Heathcote league.
Maiden Gully’s other junior teams, from under-9 to under-16, now play in the Bendigo Junior Football League.
In other matches in round one of the Loddon Valley under-18 competition, Inglewood will host last season’s runners-up Marong, and Bridgewater will be at home to Pyramid Hill.
Pair headed to state finals
Daryl Henderson and Alister McDougal won their respective levels at the Murray Valley regional competition last Saturday.
They qualified for the play-offs with victory in the Boort Lakeside club championships earlier this month.
Henderson and McDougal will now compete at the Victorian Croquet Centre at Cairnlea on April 11-13.
They will face opponents from the other 12 regions of Victoria at the titles.
in Level 1 competition, while McDougal triumphed over Boort teammate Dianne John-
in Level 3, whose performance was strong enough to reduce her handicap.
Henderson is on a winning streak, having claimed the Level 1 titles in both singles and doubles at the club’s annual tournament a week earlier. Julie Farmer from Swan Hill took out the Level 2 title at the play-offs from Charlton’s Naomi Patullo. Boort’s Jean Henderson, who was to play in Level 2 after winning through to the Murray Valley competition, was unable to take part due to illness.
TWO BOORT Lakeside croquet players are off to Melbourne to play in the regional titles after success in play-offs at Charlton.
Henderson defeated Charlton star Lindsay Patullo
ston
Regional croquet champions Julie Farmer and Boort’s Alister McDougal
