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Loddon HERALD Vol 3 No 46, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2023 ISSN 2653-1550
COMMUNITY CAMPAIGNS WIN TOWN SPEED LIMIT CUTS
SLOW DOWN By CHRIS EARL
THE Calder Highway speed limit will be cut to 40kmh in Inglewood and Wedderburn. Community campaigners whohad escalated calls for action since January when a New Year’s Eve truck rollover blocked the highway at Inglewood for more than 10 hours welcomed Tuesday’s announcement. High Street Wedderburn, from south of Godfrey Street to north of Reef Street, will be made a 40kmh zone by Christmas. Inglewood’s Brooke Street will have the new limit from east of Grant Street to north of Houston Street by the end of January. Road markings by Regional Transport Victoria last week also see existing 80kmh zones on the approach to Inglewood cut to 60kmh. President of the town’s development and tourism committee Peter Moore said: “The lower 40kmh speed limit will make Brooke Street safer for motorists and pedestrians. “Our community wants people stopping in the main street to shop and explore the history of Inglewood. The new speed limit will mean they park and hop out of their vehicles with reduced risk of cars and trucks hurtling through town,” he said. Mr Moore spearheaded the town’s campaign, backed by the Loddon Herald, to improve safety along narrow Brooke Street after the rollover and multiple nearmisses for cars and pedestrians. In Wedderburn, Cheryl Fowler
Peter Moore (front) with Inglewood residents celebrate success in the campaign to have the Brooke Street speed limit cut to 40kmh. LH PHOTO collected hundreds of signatures earlier this year with their priority the installation of pedestrian crossing lights. “Only the other day there was a near-miss when an elderly man was crossing the street,” she said. “We all love the news that the street will become 40kmh and will keep pushing for pedestrian lights,” she said. Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne, in a letter
received by Ms Fowler, said the Department of Transport and Planning would “look for funding opportunities for a pedestrian operated signal crossing”. Loddon Shire Council last month told the Calder Highway Improvement Committee that Inglewood speed reductions and pedestrians lights for Wedderburn and Bridgewater were its local safety priorities. Mr Moore and Ms Fowler had
also taken community concerns for Calder Highway safety to Ripon MP Martha Haylett who confirmed the new speed zones on Tuesday. Her press release said changes followed a review of speed limits, “a robust evidence-based process (that) is completed which considers road safety, road classification, road characteristics, abutting development, road user types and vol-
umes amongst other factors”. She said: “The communities of Wedderburn and Inglewood want a safer Calder Highway for local pedestrians and motorists. “I took their concerns with the current speed limits directly to the minister and am so pleased we’ve got a result. “The reduced speed limits will improve safety for all ages, as well as for local businesses,” Ms Haylett said.
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2 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
IN BRIEF
Loddon HERALD
Rate cap fit ALL Victorian councils have held rate increases within the 3.5 per cent cap, the Emergency Services Commission said. The eight councils that budgeted for a rate increase below the cap were Maribyrnong, Melton, Mildura, Port Phillip, Strathbogie, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga while Ararat did not increase its rates.
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Car impounded
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POLICE have impounded a Honda sedan after the driver was nabbed allegedly travelling west on the Calder Highway, Glenalbyn, at 168kmh. A Mooroolbark man will face court at a later date.
Kicking again in 2024
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Scott Morrison has taken his place in Boort’s Federation Walk. The plaque for Australia’s 30th prime minister was added last week and among the first to check out the addition were William, Carissa, Eliana and Jonas Haw. LH PHOTO
Wait on fire stock loss total
WEEKEND FORECAST Partly cloudy Boort Inglewood Pyramid Hill Wedderburn Dunolly Charlton
Saturday 23, Sunday 26 Saturday 23, Sunday 26 Saturday 24, Sunday 27 Saturday 23, Sunday 26 Saturday 22, Sunday 25 Saturday 23, Sunday 26
MURPHYS Creek farmers Daryl and Debbie Hancock hope stock losses will be minimal after last week’s fire that destroyed more than 250 hectares of crop and pasture. Initial stock losses from the fire that started on an adjoining property have been confined to 12 sheep. However, animals will con-
tinue to be checked for another week for delayed symptoms after inhaling intense smoke from the fire that took more than 100 firefighters just over two hours to control. The fire has been described by locals as the largest in the district in almost 60 years. “We were lucky ... there are so many scenarios that could have
played out,” Debbie said. “The fire burnt from south to north ... never been known to burn in that direction here.” Debbie said support from neighbouring farmers with hay and lucerne for stock had been generous since Tuesday’s fire. “The support and assistance has been 300 per cent community,” she said.
INGLEWOOD Development and Tourism has locked in its date for Inglewood Alive! next year after the stirring success of the event’s comeback from a three-year hiatus earlier this month. The 2024 one-day festival will be on the first Sunday in November.
Retirement Joy LONG-SERVING Loddon police officer Joy Jenkins has retired. Joy spent most of her almost two decades in the force stationed at Wedderburn and Pyramid Hill stations. Sgt Ben Huisman said: “Joy had been a part of our policing across the Loddon for a long time and we wish her well in retirement.”
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Basin deal anger
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 3
A DEAL between Labor and the Greens is expected to see water buyback legislation pass the Senate this week. The agreement will see $100 million allocated to help First Nations Australians participate in the water market, and a legislated commitment to return 450GL of water a year by December 2027. A new round of buybacks has been opposed by Murray River Group of Councils, including Loddon Shire. Cr Dan Straub told Tuesday’s council meeting that more buybacks would create uncertainty in local communities.
Cr Straub said the impact of previous buybacks on Boort and Pyramid Hill had been raised in Parliament this week. Mallee MP Anne Webster said: “Regional communities reliant on irrigation will foot the bill for Labor and the Greens securing their city votes with this deal. “A few thousand votes in Adelaide is worth more to them than communities on the Murray Darling Basin,” she said “Shrinking irrigation communities will hurt the truck owners who drive product to market, particularly those with a debt to pay; the hairdressers who will have to shut down, the schools
who will have less students and staff – all these flow on effects destroy our towns. “This new deal also fans the flames of Australia’s cost-of-living crisis. Removing water from the consumptive pool means our farmers grow less food and fibre. “With less supply, demand rises and that will cost families at the supermarket checkout when it comes time to put food on the table.” However, academics have backed the deal to pass the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023. Professor Richard Kingsford, director of the Centre for Ecosys-
tem Science at UNSW, said: “This is a historic opportunity to realise sustainability for the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin. “The challenges of delivering on the agreed quantities of environmental of water for the environment by previous Commonwealth and state governments effectively stalled restoration of the rivers of the Murray-Darling. “Agreeing to buybacks from willing sellers provides that opportunity to reinstate and achieve those targets and help restore the rivers. Guaranteeing the 450GL in law will make all governments accountable for the national environmental asset.”
IN BRIEF Quad bike fatality WEDDERBURN police have called for dashcam footage as they continue investigations into a quad bike crash that killed a man, 55, on Saturday. They said It was believed the local man was riding a quad bike on Wallaby Way when it struck a tree. A passerby found the man about 2pm. Police will prepare a report for the coroner. Anyone with dashcam footage or information can contact Wedderburn police.
Laughs are building MEMBERS of BBAC Productions are in rehearsal for their one-act comedy show, Hugh O’Brien’s The Travellers Table. The Yando-based theatre company will have a dress rehearsal at the district’s Christmas function next month before touring to Bridgewater, Boort, Barham and St Arnaud early in 2024.
Academic enrichment WEDDERBURN College Year 10 student Lillian Stephenson has been awarded a Kwong Lee Dow Young scholarship. The Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program is an academic enrichment program designed to support high-achieving secondary school students in achieving their personal best.
Cemetery bee INGLEWOOD Cemetery Trust has called a community working bee for Sunday at 9am.
John McCallum, Peter Blackwood and Tanya Wilson in full voice during Sunday’s performance of The Messiah in Inglewood. LH PHOTO
Stirring voices have Handel on The Messiah THE uplifting strains of Handel’s famous oratorio The Messiah reverberated around a packed Inglewood Town Hall on Sunday. Loddon residents were joined by enthusiasts who had travelled from Melbourne with musical scores of the work tucked under their arms. More than 60 choristers and musicians
from Heidelberg Choral Society gave the 35th performance of The Messiah in the group’s 100-year history. Dunolly Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s Rachel Buckley co-ordinated the Inglewood performance and said she was delighted with the full house. “It was a wonderful performance in a beau-
tiful old town hall. The audience loved it and we enjoyed singing,” she said after the final applause had faded. Rachel said the Lyster Opera Company would also perform in Inglewood early next year. “Sunday’s presentation of The Messiah shows people love to come here,” she said.
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MATES wrap up mentor program
STUDENTS and mentors in Pyramid Hill College’s MATES program have wrapped up their year. North Central LLEN pathways and project officer Barb Bear said the program had become an embedded and valued part of the school curriculum. At the the end-of-year bowls night, mentor Marie Noelker was assisted by other bowling members to lead the group through the rules and objectives of the game. Assistant Principal Sean McCann cooked a barbecue tea and Year 10 students and their mentor were presented with certificates by Barb Bear to mark completion of the their two-year program. “Mentors were thanked for their valuable contribution, get-
ting to know a young person and taking an interest in their well-being. Mentors and students have bonded extremely well - one mentor traveling from Kyneton to see her student,” Barb said. Year 10 matches finishing the program Ellesha Fergusson and Ange Eades, Riley O’Toole and Bill Quinn, James Hercott and Jason Gould, Jasmine Twigg and Marie Noelker, Maria Umali and Sally Manton, Rose Bone and Meg Stewart, Mia Farrar and Imogen Broad, Harry Goodes and Bruce Moon, Blake Gibson and Chris Cain, Allarah Ceballos and Margaret Smith, Zac Manton and Matty Moon. Year 9 students at Pyramid Hill College will continue their matches next year under the two-year commitment.
MATES program participant Eloise Walters with her mentor Karly Mitchell.
A healthy passion has Claire shining
We’re bursting with
BRIDGEWATER’S Claire Harrison has been named the winner of the Shine Award for Passion. The annual Shine awards were announced last week. Claire received her recognition for helping resurrect the historic King of the Mountain race at Wycheproof this year and as the driving force behind Active Farmers and its annual Run for Resilience. “Health and wellbeing is my passion. I love helping other people find ways to be active,” Claire told award organisers, rural newspaper the Weekly Times. “I firmly believe good physical health means strong mental health and that’s why I want to be involved in so many different activities.”
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THE troubled Pyramid Hill streetscape project has been given a growing hand by local school students who last week planted lawn seed in Lions and Kelly Parks. Completion of the $1.9 million streetscape work has been delayed over the past year. However, town leaders including Trevor McIntosh have praised the initiative of students “wanting to have some green grass in the parks for Christmas”. “It was great to see and will certainly make a different to the parks in a few week’s time,” Trevor said. Streetscape works are expected to be finished by Christmas.
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 5
Report backs rural care change GRANTS could cover capital and operating costs in communities where child care demand is too low to support all of the costs of a service, the Productivity Commission recommended last week. The commission’s draft report on a path to universal early childhood education and care also recommends the Australian Government provide additional support in markets where early childhood education and care providers are unlikely to invest. Recommendations to lift access to child care in rural areas match the stance taken by Loddon Shire
for increased government assistance for business to open centres in rural towns. Release of the draft report comes as Loddon communities wait for confirmation on the site of a co-located child care centre to be built by the State Government after a promised during last year’s election campaign. Wedderburn College and parents have been campaigning for more than two years for child care in the Loddon Shire. Victoria’s only care desert, they say the lack of access to child care is hindering staff recruitment and
economic growth in the shire. Plans for a privately-owned child care centre in Boort were abandonded earlier this year. Loddon Campaspe Group of Councils, including Loddon, told the commission: “Cost effective intervention would create sustainable rural child care but all levels of government need to be committed to overcoming current barriers. “There are also naturally considerable societal benefits to improved access to child care, including improved resilience, educational and social develop-
ment of rural children, improved gender equity and workforce participation in rural areas, and improved confidence in longterm service provision,” the submission said. Shire wellbeing director Wendy Gladman said the group of councils intended to make a submission on the Productivity Commission’s draft report. A report by Regional Development Victoria earlier this year proposed that governments provide medium-term assurance of rural service availability and reliability.
Supermarket beats rivals A $600,000 upgrade at Randall’s Supermarket has seen the Wedderburn business named Australia’s most improved store of the year. Owners Leigh and Jenny Randall received the award at Australian United Retailer’s annual store excellence awards. Leigh said it was the store’s first award since 1997 when named best country store in the Rite-way group. The upgrade last year included installation of a new coolroom and freezer units, replacement of equipment more than 25 years old. Award judges said the major refurbishment had been an “investment to create an elevated shopping experience for locals”
AUR CEO Rick Wight (left) and national operations manager Robert Markezic (right) with Jack, Jenny and Leigh Randall at the group’s national awards.
Chilling summer reading AUTHOR Mickey Martin will return to Inglewood next month to launch her latest book. The paranormal romance, A Chilling Summer in Inglewood, is the third in her Victorian Novel Collection series. Researching the book last year, Mickey said: “Chilling Summer will be jam-packed with everything that is Inglewood.” Mickey said copies of the book would arrive back from the printer in coming days but it had already received commendation from reviewers. Danielle Hughes, of Four Moons Publishing, said: “This novel ticks all the boxes if you’re after a creepy paranormal thriller with a side of sexy romance. I could not put this book down. Such a page turner. Martin has a brilliant ability to weave interesting and endearing characters, intriguing back story and exciting suspense all together, while touching on important issues around mental health and familial bonds.” The novel centres on Ariel Harper who moves with family to Inglewood after the death of the mother where loyalty, friendship and unsuspecting love will shape the family’s future.
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Smiles and cheers LOVE for people and food have seen Emma Dotollo and Abi Umali quickly settle in as new owners of Pyramid Hill Bakery and Cafe. The long-time friends have added their own style of friendliness to the popular cafe where the famous recipe for pies and sausage rolls lives on. And the bakery and cafe has also been acclaimed this year as having some of the best potato cakes in Australia.
Emma and Abi have added barista skills to their impressive talents and the Pyramid Hill brew has found immediate favour with locals and visitors to the town. Their infectious smiles and bubbly personalities match the service and range of drinks, snacks and meals available at Pyramid Hill Bakery and Cafe. “We love preparing wonderful food for our customers and giving them a warm welcome,” said Emma and Abi.
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$1m street jazz seed
RECOGNITION OF Aboriginal heritage has been made a priority in new plans for redevelopment of the Inglewood streetscape. Loddon Shire councillors on Tuesday allocated $1 million for detailed design and costing and as seed funding for state, federal and philanthropic grant bids. The project has been named as a priority by council since last year. Councillors adopted a report that included seeking guidance and advice from Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation. Major projects program manager Bruce Arthur told councillors the project would consider beautification, kerb and channel improvements, footpaths, underground power, greening initiatives, traffic calming, pedestrian safety, integration of public art and heritage walking trails. “A concept masterplan was developed by the Inglewood Development and Tourism Committee utilising funding support from council. Following further consultation in 2022 and 2023, it is proposed to advance the project from the project concept and planning phase to the project design and approvals phase, aiming to provide documentation for future decisions regarding budget and project progression,” he said. “There will be further opportunity for community input as part of the project design and development stage.” Mr Arthur said design planning would involve collaboration with local artists and cultural experts
to “authentically integrate public art and First Nations elements into the streetscape design, adding a unique cultural dimension to the project”. He said public art would integrate artistic installations that told the story of Inglewood’s history, culture, and aspirations, creating points of interest and visual engagement. And he said Aboriginal recognition would in-
corporate design elements that acknowledged and celebrated the Aboriginal people and “their connection to the land, integrating cultural significance into the streetscape”. “By undertaking design, council will be able to accurately determine the financial and design feasibility of the proposal. This will assist in managing expectations of the community should
Will Sanson (left) and Tim Birthisel are congratulated by LEAD Loddon Murray’s Jude Hannah after last Friday’s graduation.
elements or stages of the project not progress,” he said. Accurate cost estimates in the detailed design phase would help council develop a funding strategy. “Powercor is the responsible electricity infrastructure provider for the overhead power lines ... (and) will be a critical decision maker in regard to the infrastructure requirements and feasibility of undergrounding power.”
‘Care factor’ pushes back meeting time LODDON Shire councillors will not meet before 10am next year to “enable those with care responsibilities to meet their morning care obligations”. Cr Linda Jungwirth said the change would have council demonstrating flexibility, adaptibility and inclusion with opportunity for greater diversity of people participating in council. “As a single parent of teenagers, one with cognitive disability, the current meeting time of 8.30(am) for forums negatively impacts me, my children and can cost the council money in care,” she said. Cr Jungwirth’s push was supported by Cr Wendy Murphy with Cr Neil Beattie voting against the the amendment to a 2024 meeting schedule recommended by officers. Cr Dan Straub abstained. Last week, Cr Jungwirth signalled a push to change values of council after she failed to have Cr Murphy elected mayor. Cr Gavan Holt had told councillors before the vote that saw him take the top role for a seventh time that wokeism had infected the western world and “we need to ensure the virus does not get hold in the leadership of Loddon Shire Council”. Cr Jungwirth has since used her councillor social media page to post a 10 Symptons of the Woke Mind graphic, including that woke people “read books and don’t burn them”.
8 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
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AEMO community group four remain a mystery THE VNI West community reference group met for a second time on Monday with four members still a mystery. Transmission Company Victoria had delayed naming members of the group appointed to raise community concerns and questions on the controversial renewable energy transmission line project. The application process had not included permission to release names to the public and was criticised by then Loddon Mayor Dan Straub for lacking transparency. TCV, the Victorian project arm of Australian Energy Market Operator, this week confirmed that Quambatook farmer Brett Hosking and St Arnaud’s Colin Coates had now been appointed to the reference group along with 11 others earlier named. Mr Hosking was Victorian Farmers Federation’ grains group president from
2013 to 2017 and chair of Grain Growers Australia from 2018 to 2022. He was appointed to the board of national advocacy group Farmers for Climate Action in June. A TCV spokesperson said: “The group currently contains a total of 17 community members representing a broad range of locations across the draft corridor.” The group was to meet TCV and technical experts on Monday although no details of discussions have been released. TCV said there remained three vacancies on the group. The VNI West draft corridor captures prime irrigation land across the northern end of the Loddon Shire. TCV has spent most of November conducting aerial surveys to collect light detection and range data and imaging to build a three-dimensional map of the draft corridor. Talks are also continuing with landholders.
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 9
COMMUNITY UPDATE
COVID-safe practices at BDH COVID-safe practices continue to be observed at Boort District Health. With the rise in COVID cases, visitors to Boort hospital and aged care are required to provide evidence of negative RAT test on each visit and to wear a mask if visiting the aged care or acute wards. We continue to test residents to keep them safe and well. Boort Medical Clinic offers telephone consultation with GP during business hours. Key indicators of COVID-19 infections are showing increasing levels of COVID-19 activity in Victoria. After a period of slow increases from July, recent weeks have seen increases to levels not observed since May. Access to medical consultation if
suffering from symptoms is also available through the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) https://www.vved.org.au The VVED is a video telehealth medical consultation service that connects patients with emergency clinicians, all from the comfort of their own homes. It is an alternative care pathway that treats patients with non-life-threatening conditions in a virtual environment, using a smart device. The VVED is a free service and available across Victoria 24 hours a day, seven days a week, staffed by GPs and nurses who can treat a range of conditions. Patients can self-register to use the service using the above link. VVED is not for emergencies. In an emergency you should always call Triple Zero (000).
16 Days of Activism: UNITE
TRAFFIC was disrupted on Friday morning when a car travelling north on the Calder Highway at Bridgewater hit pedestrian safety fencing on the Loddon River bridge. About 20 metres of fencing was flattened before the vehicle stopped at the main bridge rails about 8.35am. The scene was LH PHOTO cleared within 30 minutes and no one was injured.
Santa’s Cave will be destination as celebrations spill from park THE Coach House Gallery will be transformed into Santa’s Cave for next Thursday’s Christmas on High celebrations in Wedderburn. The town’s community house says the event will centre on Jacka Park and start at the earlier time of 4pm. “This year it is promising to be bigger and better than ever. With an earlier staring time of 4pm, there will be live music, performances and community Christmas carols and free activities for kids of all ages in soldiers’ memorial park,” said coordinator Marg Van Veen. She said Christmas on High was also an event where people could get an early start to Christmas shopping at the market stalls in Jacka Park, or pop in to the food
court featuring the Flavours of Loddon food trucks and the Wedderburn Lion’s Club barbecue. “A visit Santa’s Cave at the Coach House Gallery is also a must on the night,” she said. “The event would not be complete without an appearance from the man in the red suit who is scheduled to fly in for a quick visit from the North Pole at around 6:30pm.” Winners of the best shop window, best decorated house and the Rejoov pamper pack will be announced. “Get into the Christmas spirit and bring your family and friends along, it will be a fun filled event with something for everyone,” she said.
Compost company wants to double capacity BIO GRO has lodged a development licence application with the Environmental Protection Authority to more than double capacity at its Newbridge solid waste composting facility. The EPA has not advertised the application locally, instead using media in other areas.
The application proposes to increase operations from 60,000 to 150,000 tonnes a year. “A combination of different techniques and technologies is used to compost feedstock including open windrow and invessel aerated composting,” according to application.
The BDH Strengthening Hospital Response to Family Violence (SHRFV) team conducted a pre-launch visit to Boort District School (BDS) on Friday 24 November in anticipation of the upcoming 16 Days of Activism international campaign. During this visit, the SHRFV team engaged with the school children, delivering an awareness talk that underscored the significance of advocating for the prevention and elimination of violence. As part of this impactful initiative, both school children and teachers participated in a symbolic formation, standing together to create the word “unite.” This visually striking representation aimed to emphasise the collective commitment to invest in efforts that
prevent violence. This collaborative approach between the hospital and the school reflects a dedication to fostering awareness and unity in addressing the crucial issue of family violence. The annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Campaign started Saturday 25 November, challenging violence against women and children. Our residents created their own piece of orange artwork that represented their interpretation of “unite.”
BDH are now delivering home-based services to our area of Loddon. These services include domestic assistance, personal care, property maintenance, flexible respite, social support group and one-on-one services and meals on wheels. It has been wonderful to extend our scope of services to include this support to our clients in the community. We continue to grow our team and they can be seen out and about in Boort, Pyramid Hill, Calivil and Borung.
Kiniry Street, Boort Victoria, 3537 Phone: (03) 5451 5200 Email: admin@bdh.vic.gov.au www. bdh.vic.gov.au
10 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 11
Tinsel and trees star at festival
THE festive spirit was out of the bottle early for Wedderburn Patchwork Group’s Christmas and Arts Festival last week. More than 300 entries from Wedderburn, Inglewood and Charlton filled the Mechanics’ Institute Hall. And group president Irene Finch said at least half were from local school students. Inglewood and Districts Health Service residents also entered this year after receiving a donation after the 2022 festival. This year’s funds will be donated to Wedderburn Band Cricket Club and Irene said the festival was a positive role model “to the young people in our community”. One of the successful exhibitors was Maria Perger, collecting three prizes for her patchwork. “I taught myself in 2009 and I love it, there’s something to see at the end,” she said. Irene said: “Having hobbies and interests are more important than ever. They give us a reason to get up in the morning. “Hobbies help us connect to likeminded people and keep the brain active. “Passing on skills to others in the community is very rewarding. We are engaging in life long learning.” Wedderburn CWA was awarded the prize for best Christmas tree with Jennifer Caruana winning the Almost Anything Goes
section and picked up the viewer’s choice award.
RESULTS Christmas tree (group): Wedderburn CWA. Individual: Leanne Burge. Children/ School Group: Wedderburn Kindergarten. Christmas quilt: Leanne Holt. Christmas decoration for the home (Fabric): Irene Finch. Other materials: Cheryl Kemp. Small Christmas items: Sandra Francis. Photography: Donald Sutherland. 2D Art: Sue Anne Hackett. Handcrafted Card: Moira Moody. Beading or Jewellery: Sandra Francis. Knitting: Jo Packhill. Crochet: Jo Packhill. Needlework: Rusty Nicholls. Large quilt: Colleen Fogarty. Small quilt: Maria Perger. Art or picture quilt: Irene Finch. Small article of patchwork: Colleen Fogarty. Recycled or repurposed article: Cheryl Kemp. Item not scheduled: Jude Raftis. 2023 Challenge: Jennifer Caruana. Children under schoolaAge: Albert Postle. School Foundation, Years 1& 2: Foundation-1 Stick Man. Years 3 & 4: Noah Dooley. Years 5 6: Piper Denney. Years 7 & 8: (Eq) Kayla Cramp, Lucy Rollinson, Nada Zec. Years 9 & 10: Ella Weber. VCE: Briana Sanderson, Rachael Humphry. Best Christmas tree: Wedderburn CWA. Best exhibit sections 4-22: Leanne Holt. Best exhibit sections 24-28: Briana Sanderson. Best Item religious theme: Year 3 Wedderburn College. Competitions - Raffle Quilt: Dorothy Kaye.
Albert, Clancy, Maddi, Marigold and Adam Postle with their Christmas tree entry. LH PHOTO
Dianne Wayman and Nancy Ryan
Digital directions pointing visitors towards triangle THREE Loddon communities once touted as being in Victoria’s golden triangle will be part of a new tourism project. Inglewood, Tarnagulla and Wedderburn have been included in the State Government’s Goldfields Gateway project. But details of the $625,000 project across six sites in central Victoria from the Macedon Ranges to Ballarat and Bendigo are still to come. Loddon Shire’s manager tourism and economic development David Stretch said: “The Goldfields Gateways project will explore new technologies in the development of digital servicing, signage and messaging to support the visitor experience across three Victorian tourism regions - Tourism Midwest Victoria, Day-
lesford Macedon Tourism and Bendigo Regional Tourism. “The project is being positioned as an opportunity to test and learn technologies and applications that will support the visitor experience, and the UNESCO Victorian Goldfields World Heritage application,” he said. “Council’s tourism and economic development team looks forward to working with township tourism and development committees in Inglewood, Wedderburn and Tarnagulla to share project details and timelines as they are received from the project working group.” Loddon is part of the World Heritage bid that was recently expanded to include Beechworth and Walhalla in Gippsland.
Maria Perger
Mia Tilly and Blake Collins
12 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
Nation’s oldest Holstein stud hits century SHOW successes and dairy industry records have been the by-product of a passion for Friesians ever since Thomas Gilmore bought a heifer and two cows for 100 guineas. While generations of the family have made their own contributions to the dairy industry, the greatest legacy from those purchases a century ago last week can be found in the genealogy of the Holstein breed today. Good milkers that Don Gilmore says can be traced to the Yarrawalla stud Ingolston established in 1923 by his grandfather. Thomas Gilmore had become as a leading breeder within 10 years of the November 1923 purchase of stock at the Carter clearing sale at Marong. He was judging around Australia and made the book 500 Victorians published in 1934, listing his hobby simply as as cattle. Thomas had become president of the Victorian Friesian Cattle Club and a member of the national council. He was on the committee of the
By CHRIS EARL Bendigo and Pyramid Hill shows. And at the Royal Melbourne Show and was about to claim a third straight champion sash with Ingolston Pontiac, the same star who had won the top prize in 1930, got pipped in 1932 before heading to a hat-trick from 1932. “I can remember that grandma made a blanket out of the sashes won by the stud,” said Don who is about to retire from Durham Ox to Bendigo and leaving daughter Claire to continue the Ingolston stud name and bloodline as a breeder. He says success was repeated again in 1938 and 1949 at Melbourne when Don remembers loading stock on the train at Mologa to be taken to the Melbourne Showgrounds. Don says those early years for the Holstein stud would have seen 25 cows milked three and four times a day by hand. When Don joined father Ken working the stud. he resumed showing at district shows from
The third generation owners of the Ingolston Holstein Stud ... Dale and Don Gilmore. LH PHOTO the 1960s. “We’d milk in the morning, then put the kids in the truck and head to the shows. “Grandfather also import ed bulls from New Zealand to improve the herd he had at Yarrawalla,” he said. Brother Jim also joined the
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family’s Ingolston stud before branching out and making his own mark as a breeder and judge. “Milking was just a job but I discovered that I had a talent for breeding cows and the ability to judge cattle,” Jim said. “We received the prestigious
master breeder award and then later a double master breeder award, only a handful had a double at the time. Holsteins became my whole life and saw me involved in everything Holstein.” The third generation branches also ventured into other breeds.
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Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 13
Don tried Herefords in the 1980s while Jim had success in the show ring with the Brown Swiss breed. Thomas Gilmore had a reputation for selling his renowned milkers to any buyer. They came from across the district and further afield. Nicholas Manlein a farmer at Korong Vale in the 1930s purchased Ingolston Trumper and less than a decade later, when time for a new milker, returned to select Ingolston Soldier. Jim Gilmore these days often buries himself in Holstein genealogy, researching the bloodlines of today’s top milkers for the association journal. Many can be traced back to Ingolston and share traits that saw the stud receive so much acclaim. Sitting proudly in that line is Ingolston Gwen, credited with setting a new Australian butterfat record for a Friesian cow in 1950. On the official 273 days test, Ingolston Gwen gave a yield of 917.31 pounds of butterfat from 26,601 pounds of milk, 57 pounds more than the previous highest butterfat production test for a Friesian cow in Australia. Ingolston Gwen was owned by P. W. Goodfellow and Sons, of Gowerville, near Bunyip, one of the buyers who travelled to make a purchase from Thomas Gilmore. The butterfat record came the same year Thomas Gilmore headed to Brisbane to judge Friesians at the northern city’s show. Unsurprisingly he gave the broad sash to Ingolston Barry, even if lamenting the small size of stock compared to previous years. Fast
forward to the later in the 20th century and Jim Gilmore became the face on Coles butter packaging. And in an extension of the quality tradition of Ingolston, Jim’s son Travis now has his own Ingolmore Friesian stud at Durham Ox. Jim Gilmore says: ”If you’re chasing pedigree you will come across Ingolston somewhere. Grandpa would sell to anyone.” “Holsteins ... it was bred in us, a family tradition,” he said. Don Gilmore said the size of milking herds had increased this century, leaving few smaller operations still active. “But as long as not all people want to have soy or almond milk, there will always be a need for dairy,” he said. “If you keep the operations simple you can still make a living. We did.” In its heyday, the Ingolston dairy at Yarrawalla had its own electricity plant and a railway connecting the dairy to the piggery. Thomas Gilmore was an early member of what today is Holstein Australia. The association was formed in 1914 and the Ingolston stud registered a decade later to make it the oldest in Australia although a few more will reach the centenary milestone within a couple of years. Holstein cattle make up about 70 per cent of Australia’s 1.6 million dairy cows today. “What grandfather established a century ago has had a big influence on generations of breeders and milk producers,” said Don Gilmore reflecting on the centenary of his stud.
Thomas Gilmore ... champion breeder and judge
Jim Gilmore ... the face of supermarket butter
Nicholas Manlein with his 1930s purchase ... Ingolston Trumper
MM | LIVESTOCK
EST. 1911
Bendigo Sheep & Lamb Market Report The recent positive trend continued this week with lambs $5-15 dearer and mutton $10-20 dearer. Monday, November 27th 2023 - Bendigo Yarding: Lambs - 17,000 | Sheep - 7,500 $ Per Head
$ Per Kg
Trend ($ Per Head)
Heavy Suckers
135-170
5.20-5.40
+ 5-8
Trade Suckers
100-135
5-5.20
+5
Store Lambs
30-105
1.80-2.30 (liveweight)
+ 8-15
Heavy Sheep
55-80
1.80-2.10
+ 10-20
Trade Sheep
40-55
1.80-2
+ 10-15
Light Sheep
15-40
1.20-2
+ 10-15
Sign up to receive weekly market reports
To discuss the marketing opportunities available for your livestock, contact the McKean McGregor team.
Alex Collins - 0408 314 768
Drew Stratton - 0414 576 371
Zeb Broadbent - 0447 002 844 Will Holt- 0417 686 814
Alex Pollock - 0409 145 832
Henry Bugge - 0403 671 917
MCKEANMCGREGOR.COM.AU |
Will Lowe - 0498 381 584
14 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
LAND AUCTION LEICHARDT - MARONG
THURSDAY 14th DECEMBER 2023- 11AM ONSITE
“AKERINGA” Lot 7 Myers Flat Road - 56.75 Hectares / 140.23 Acres 3 Paddocks 3 Dams Well fenced Power at front of block Gravel Road Access Improvements: 2 stand shearing shed (Generator), Timber construction, corrugated Iron roof, Mesh/Timber Sheep Yards 8km from Marong, 12km Eaglehawk
Terms: 10% Deposit on signing, balance in 30/60 days. Agent’s Comments: Come & enjoy the countryside, experience the wide-open spaces that a block this size can do. Perfect for a new home site (S.T.C.A). Suitable for Livestock, Wool & Cereal Production, Horse agistment Further Particulars/ Inspections: Contact Selling Agents Luke Nevins: 0418 510 166 Email: inglewood@fpnevins.com.au * FP NEVINS DOES NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ABOVE
SHEEP AND LAMBS MUTTON was the big improver at Bendigo on Monday, prices $10 to $20 dearer across a bigger yarding of 7330 sheep. Heavy crossbred ewes $50 to $65, and Merino ewes with size and a bit of skin length $60 to a top of $75. Although it was in the light sheep run where processor competition intensified with even the plainest lots selling above $30/head. The ballpark cost to processors for an average run of mutton was 170c to 220c/kg cwt. The talking point for lamb was the big drop off in numbers, down to 13,400 head or 7000 less than the previous Monday. Not a lot of quality or weight was available again and quite a lot of the young unshorn lambs showed signs of having dried off and displayed minimal fat cover. Three key domestic processing orders remained absent and other orders were quiet. It was a different group of buyers this week due to Hamilton in the Western District starting its split run of sales, selling lambs of a Monday and Wednesday in the lead up to Christmas. Lamb prices overall were similar with just movements of a few dollars either side of last week’s results. Heavy woolly young lambs $140 to a top of $164/hd at an estimated 480c to 520c/kg cwt. Heavy trades $122 to $146 with best crossbreds trending at 510c/kg cwt. General run of young lambs in the 20-24kg cwt range from $90 to $120/hd Restocking competition continued to strengthen, and some nice lines of recently shorn crossbred lambs were up to $8 dearer to the paddock. Unshorn store lambs were also dearer. Most store sized lambs showing reasonable breeding and quality made $50 to $88 per head, with a top of $104 paid for a pen off shears with a tradeweight frame. Buy-
ing support was from Wycheproof, Horsham, Shepparton, Echuca, the local Bendigo area, plus a new order from Griffith in NSW. SUCKERS
Wayne and Debbie Ellis Euroa (23) $166. Pyalong Park Pyalong (82) $165. Pyalong Park Pyalong (48) $163. W & H Ladson Mincha West (15) $162. GK & TA Turnbull Bridgewater (144) $150. MJ Borger Colbinabbin (98) $150. MT & VL & Ryan Pyalong (36) $146. J,S & W Brown Colbinabbin (46) $144. AL & GJ Lloyd Stuart Mill (66) $136. MJ & MG Clarke Kilmore (34) $136. RW & AL Baker Dingee (116) $125. Leslie Lowndes Emu Creek (10) $123. Nutbyrne P/L Knowsley (46) $120.
CROSSBRED EWES GK & TA Turnbull Bridgewater (40) $70. B& E Kerlin Corop (30) $66. Chartwell Farms Romsey (37) $65. MJ Borger Colbinabbin (77) $65. Trengoff Past Co Longwood (46) $64. A Newton, Murchison (52) $60. NR & AJ Smith Meipoll (138) $58. EP & E Mercer Euroa (56) $58. S Barrow Beveridge (66) $55. D Sicily Yark (80) $55. Setec P/L Benalla (92) $50. EP & E Mercer Euroa (56) $41.
MERINO EWES R Hayden Pyangil (40) $75. A & R Hiscock Pyalong (135) $75. Bolangum Hills Gre Gre (76) $70. Feeny Bros Cope Cope (144) $70. N & K Holt Kurralea West (113) $70. IN & LE McQueen Muckleford (43) $67. Ravenshoe Past Ravenshoe (40) $67. JA & KL Head Echuca (39) $65. Anderson of Bronzewing Ouyen (87) $65. L & S Kubeil Tamleugh Nth (125) $60. Farley Family Trust Heathcote (142) $47.
SUPPLIED BY ASSOCIATED STOCK AGENTS
grain BOORT Grain Co-op prizes on Tuesday. Maximus Malt $315.25. Planet Malt1 $323.25. Spartacus Malt1 $315.25. Bar1 $306. Bar2 $282. Wheat - H1 $400. H2 $370. APW $350. ASW $335. GP1 $315. Faba1 $432. Faba2 $427. Nipper1 $860. Field pea 1 $450. Oats 1 $342. Oats 2 $306. ISCC non-GM canola $602. Non-GM canola $594. ISCC GM canola $592. GM canola $594.
FOR LEASE BY TENDER
WEDDERBURN - 3 YEARS PLUS 2 YEAR OPTION
532.17 Hectares equalling 1315 Acres - To be offered in 3 allotments
Lot 1: “Turnbulls, Jacksons & Hendersons”
Lot 3: “Hendersons” Part 2
203.1 Hectares/ 502 Acres in 4 paddocks. 7 dams equalling 15 M/Litres water & access to WM pipeline. Established pasture and strong cropping & fertiliser history. 400 Acre arable area with established shelter belts Fencing fair to new
72.85 Hectares equalling 180 Acres 3 paddocks, 2 dams, WM Pipeline connected. Mallee clay soil base Excellent feed base of rye and lucerne.
Lot 2: “Thompsons, Lemons & Brandups” 256 Hectares equalling 633 Acres 5 paddocks, 4 dams equalling 5 M/Litres water. Catchment, WM Pipeline available. Fencing in excellent to fair conditions Established pasture and copping loam soil Established shelter belts.
Improvements include: Shearing shed- 3 stand Excellent steel sheep yards 5 bay machinery shed Raised barn Steel machinery shed 7m X 4m Gal iron hay shed
Terms: GST & Rates will be charged on top of tender. Tender closes 1st December 2023 at 3pm.
HIGHEST OR ANY TENDER NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPTED Inspections and Further particulars - Phone: 03 5438 3041 James Nevins: 0407 302 900 * FP NEVINS DOES NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ABOVE
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 15
Youthful volunteers recognised YOUNGSTERS from across the Loddon have been recognised for their community service, inspiration and teamwork at the second BLG Youth Awards. The annual awards were presented in Boort on Friday night to dozens of youngsters from the Loddon, Buloke and Gannawarra Shires. Loddon Mayor Gavan Holt presented community service awards to Alina Gould, Campbell Harcourt, Jasmine Twigg, Keira Lawry, Samantha Bewley, Sam Hicks and Sam Barraclough. Mia Braun and Gemma Maxted were also named recipients of the awards. Kaitlen Broad, James Hercott and Tyler Cramer received their inspiration award certificates. Ellesha Ferguson will also receive the award.
IN BRIEF
A fallen trees blocks the Calder Highway at Wedderburn on Friday. LH PHOTO
Storm deluge
Mayor Gavan Holt with Loddon community service award recipients. LH PHOTO Bears Lagoon Serpentine Football Club canteen helpers Ebony Twigg, Abby Twigg, Olivia Twigg, Piper Long and Keira Tuohey were named among this year’s recipients of the teamwork award while Keira received a second recognition for teamwork along with Emily Sinclair,
Will Hunt and Riley Wagner for their school for leadership work at East Loddon P12 College. Boort’s Molly Meadows was one of three individuals to also receive a teamwork award. Matt DeGruchy was guest speaker at the awards ceremony, talking about his experiences
growing up with the rare genetic Stargardt’s Disease that gradually reduces vision. Matt said he did not “let the hurdles of low vision keep me down”. The BLG awards were organised by Northern District Community Health and North Central LLEN.
FLASH flooding sent water surging across streets and roads around Wedderburn on Friday afternoon. Almost 50mm of rain was recorded after the storm hit about 5pm, also bringing down trees. Elsewhere in the region, rainfall from the storm was about 25mm.
Design praise ST MARY’S Primary School Inglewood finished second in the design assessment at the weekend’s Energy Breakthrough in Maryborough. The Smigglewood vehicle finished racing with a score of 70.3.
Vocational visits
Loddon’s inspiration award recipients James Hercott, Kaitlen Broad and Tyler Cramer
Piper Long with Loddon Shire wellbeing director Wendy Gladman
BLG awards evening guest speaker Matt DuGruchy
EAST Loddon P12 College vocational major students have visited Mawsons’ Cohuna plant to talk with apprentices about career pathways. It was one of several visits in recent weeks to explore future employment opportunities.
How far do you travel to important Council facilities and services? Council is developing a strategy to help inform and prioritise how we invest in social infrastructure across the Shire. We want to hear from and involve all Loddon Shire community members as we develop these priorities. According to the 2021 Census data, some towns in Loddon Shire are experiencing growth while others are continuing to decline. Changes in population trends can affect community needs and opportunities, leading Council to assess if communities outside the main towns have fair and equitable access to social
infrastructure. Social infrastructure can include buildings and other infrastructure that support access to meeting places and recreation and open spaces. We want to hear about the social infrastructure, facilities and services that are important to you, and which social infrastructure, facilities and services you travel some distance to access. A series of drop-in and online sessions conducted by Council
concludes today, where we have
social infrastructure, services and
You can also complete our fill in a survey at https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/LoddonSmall-Towns
facilities across the Shire.
The survey closes on 10 December.
been sharing what we have found so far about the distribution of
The Orange Door Loddon for you or someone you know who needs advice, support or assistance in relation to family or domestic violence. The Orange Door services are available 9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday (closed public holidays) 1800 512 359
COUNCIL OFFICE T: 5494 1200 F: 5494 3003 Cr Gavan Holt Mayor Wedderburn Ward 0408 943 008
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 Dan Straub Terrick Ward 0429 236 399
E: loddon@loddon.vic.gov.au Monday to Friday 8.15am to 4.45pm
CONTACT COUNCIL
41 High Street Wedderburn 3518
16 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
Season to embrace random challenge Sir, How dearly I love where I live and the reason why? You are the reason why. Over the years I have witnessed the abundant beauty of community kindness; I have seen it shine brightly on so many different occasions. Small communities are caring communities. We are each aware of the impact of inflation on our neighbours and friends and with the lead up to Christmas I thought what an ideal time to spread a little extra kindness to people living in our neighbourhood. This leads me to propose a whole Community Challenge involving every person, young and old, to initiate three random acts of kindness before Christmas. The challenge is to get creative and deliver three gifts of kindness to make a positive impact on others in the community. The aim is to bring joy to others when they least expect it. Examples might include dropping off a plant at the gate of a newcomer to town, leaving some fresh homegrown produce at a family’s front door, mowing your neighbour’s nature strip, cooking a meal for someone struggling, offer to clean an older person’s windows, drop flowers off to someone who has been unwell or make handmade cards to someone who might be missing a loved one. The gift of giving expects nothing in return but the truth is, you will receive something in return; you will experience the warm feeling of joy when you deliver your random acts of kindness. Let’s celebrate our generous community spirit
LETTERs TO THE EDITOR and elevate it to new heights over the month of December. I am excited to hear the stories of your creative goodwill. I will close with Mark Twain’s words of wisdom: “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
Anonymous but Optimistic
(Name and address withheld by request)
Reconsider ‘woke war’ Sir, Thank you Loddon Herald for exposing the prevailing philosophy of the Loddon Shire councillors. Last week’s published responses from Max Higgs, Catherine Norman and Marg Van Veen, beautifully convey the perspective that is shared by majority of the modern world, as we move to a fairer and more compassionate society. Being ‘woke’ is just fundamentally about being polite and respectful. Cr Holt’s conservative dinosaur ideology will alienate young people looking to return or settle in our towns. This patriarchal form of thinking has already resulted in our shire having great football facilities but no child care! I urge Cr Holt to reconsider his ’war on woke’ as it damages the reputation of the Loddon Shire and is frankly embarrassing for those of us who live here.
Susan Gould Mysia
YOUR ONLINE WORDS FROM THE LODDON HERALD FACEBOOK PAGE Staff retention signalled as challenge for Loddon Shire in annual report Christine Elliott wrote: Wedderburn Loddon Shire offices are too far from the major recruitment centre in Bendigo. Even with car pooling it takes at least two hours out of your day. Council could provide
a satellite office in Inglewood or Bridgewater to cut travelling time. Cath Bratic wrote: We have offices in Serpentine that just sit here empty, but used to be used for home care. I’m sure that they could still be utilised some way Barry Parsons wrote: Well it might help get more staff to define what the new Mayor means
by “woke”. Right wing conservatives often use it as a derogatory term for young, well educated, forward thinking people. who might have the skills the shire needs in its workforce So Loddon’s Mayor might be saying we do not want those people in our community, we would rather die out as the dinosaurs did when they faced a time of rapid change.
20
1. The ‘Focus’ is a model of car made by which manufacturer?
2. How many years are in a decade? 3. Bibliomania is the hoarding or compulsive collecting of what? 4. What colours are on the flag of South Africa? 5. What term refers to a plan or template? 6. How many triangles are on a Backgammon board? 7. Which musical instrument is commonly found in churches?
show Home and Away begin? 11. How many days are there in July? 12. Who wrote Romeo and Juliet? 13. What is collected by bees to create honey? 14. Which galaxy is our solar system in? 15. Is the blood type ABnegative the least or most common? 16. What is the official animal of Scotland?
17. What is the northern-most capital city in the world?
8. What gas do humans breathe out?
18. A group of fish is known as a what?
9. The packet of Smiths cheese and onion chips is what colour?
19. In which fairytale does a pumpkin turn into a carriage?
10. In which year did the tv
20. What are dried plums also known as?
ANSWERS
T
HE RAIN may have washed away Bradley of Boort’s ants, but only temporarily. The pesky little friends keep coming back and just love unleashing summer annoyance at bush cricket grounds and around the tennis courts.
T
HERE’S also the flies that love to inhabit certain towns - Dingee is renowned as a haven for buzzing black blowhards in summer. Some crossed the border on Sunday to test the early season endurance of Mitiamo footballers who we reckon spent as much time swatting as they did marking footballs in the first training run.
O
QUESTION QUIZ
1. Ford 2. Ten 3. Books 4. Black, blue, yellow, green, red, white 5. Blueprint 6. Twenty-four 7. Pipe organ 8. Carbon dioxide 9. Yellow 10. 1988 11. Thirty-one 12. William Shakespeare 13. Nectar 14. Milky Way 15. Least 16. Unicorn 17. Reykjavik, Iceland 18. A school 19. Cinderella 20. Prunes
FEATURES | OPINION AND QUIZ
NE old wive’s tale to keep ants away involved good old blackboard chalk. You draw a line of chalk where you don’t want them to cross. The idea is that it will derail the ant trail and confuse them with the scent of chalk. Why this might work for a minute or two, the results are certainly temporary. Ants are determined creatures that will easily find a way around or just pass over the chalk. Some believe that the chalk will make it difficult for the ants to
climb over. Unfortunately, this is nothing but an old wives’ tale. No amount of chalk is lethal to ants. You’ll only find yourself with a random line of chalk on the ground and no solution to your ant problem.
E
VEN the hot water trick has been called a dud. Some people have been known to try to boil water in a pot and dump it down into ant holes. Only problem, fire ant tunnels can reach depths of 10 feet or more. You would need to dump 10 litres of water inside the hole. By the time the water made it down, the ants have simply moved to another location.
S
UMMER weather forecasts are also in the category of having achieved renown, or is that infamy? So much so we had one office assistant regret turning up for work on Monday in jeans. The warmer than expected weather had her experiencing, she said, a case of jean’s regret. We suggested that could be the name of a racehorse. “It’d have to be a dog, my father would never forgive me otherwise,” said worker replied down the phone line.
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 17
FEATURES Martha Haylett won the seat of Ripon at the state election a year ago in what was another thumping victory for the then-Andrews Government. She talks with the Loddon Herald’s CHRIS EARL about her ...
Year in the hot seat The saying is that a week can be a long time in politics, so how have you found your first year as the member for Ripon?
MH: It is the greatest honour of my life to have been elected the member for Ripon. Over the past 12 months, I’ve come to know even more of the people who make our community all that it is. From our local CFA members to our recreation reserve committees, RSL subbranches, and school council representatives – it is our volunteers that are the backbone of our region, and it is such a privilege to work alongside them. Being a member of Parliament is all consuming and it’s hard yakka, but I knew that coming into it. There are trying times, but I have loved every second of it – especially getting results for our community. The State Labor Government has delivered a lot for the Loddon Shire in past 12 months, including ... $50,000 for the Wedderburn Community House, $1000 for the Bridgewater Cricket Club, thousands for the Inglewood/Bridgewater RSL Sub-Branch to make improvements to the Rheola War Memorial, and over $11,000 for the Loddon Plains Landcare Network. We’ve delivered over $240,000 for the redevelopment of the Newbridge Recreation Reserve and clubrooms after the floods, and thousands more for other flood-affected communities across the Loddon Shire. Works are well underway on the Donaldson Park Community Hub project, as well as the $12.8 million redevelopment of Wedderburn College and $1.8 million upgrade of Tarnagulla Primary School. But there’s always more to do.
sure we fix our roads, upgrade our local schools and hospitals, and address the cost of living with supports like free kinder and free car regos for our hardworking trade apprentices.
What are issues voters have raised with you in Loddon communities? And what outcomes do you hope to achieve for local residents? MH: The No 1 issue locals in the Loddon Shire raised with me is the state of our roads – including safety concerns along the Calder Highway. I have been raising this issue non-stop with the Minister and I’m pleased we’re now seeing results. In the coming months, crews will be carrying out road repairs, including major works on the Calder Highway, Bridgewater-Maldon Road, and Boort-Kerang Road to name a few. I have also been working closely with the Wedderburn and Inglewood communities to address road safety concerns along the Calder Highway in each town. I took their concerns directly to the Minister for Roads and am proud that we will soon be reducing the speed limit in each community to ensure pedestrians and motorists are kept safe. The second biggest issue locals raise
LH The electorate ranges from suburbs of a regional capital to small rural towns, what are the similarities and differences you have experienced as the local MP?
MH, Yes, Ripon is such a vast electorate - from the outer suburbs of Ballarat, up to Marnoo, Korong Vale and beyond. The needs of these communities can differ significantly, but the issues people have are broadly the same. Most people just want to be able to pay the bills, have a roof over their head, raise their kids, and enjoy themselves on their days off. The biggest similarities are people’s concerns about the cost of living, housing prices, roads, and access to quality healthcare when they need it. That’s why it’s important to me as your local MP to get the basics right – making
Local communities are awaiting naming of the site for the Government’s co-located child care centre in the shire, a pledge you have enthusiastically championed. How close is an announcement? MH: An announcement on the site and next steps is very close and I am continuing to push this issue with the new Minister for Children, as I know how important it is to so many local families.
During the campaign last year, you raised the prospect of changing approach to road maintenance and construction in Victoria. How has this been advanced? MH: I have been raising my concerns with the state of our roads directly with the Minister for Roads and Regional Roads
I understand that the demolition of the old ambulance station caused a lot of angst in the community and the way in which it was dealt with by authorities was extremely unfortunate
What have been the challenges and how have you met them? MH: One of the biggest challenges is trying to be as present as possible across more than 100 communities in the Ripon electorate. I have attended more than 100 community events, visited 34 schools, and held over 250 meetings across the electorate this year, but there are only so many hours in a day, so I am looking forward to meeting even more locals over the next year and beyond. Another challenge is also coming up against bureaucratic processes when you want quick results for constituents. Some things can be resolved quickly, and others take time. But I am extremely persistent and will always fight for results for our local community.
tremely unfortunate. Despite my attempts to raise concerns with the Minister for Health, the die had already been cast by Ambulance Victoria before I took office. I am very eager to meet with the Inglewood and Distrist Health Service to better understand their office space needs in future now that they have taken on home care packages.
- Martha Haylett
with me is the desperate need for child care in the Loddon Shire. I have met with many local parents, grandparents, and carers across the shire about this issue and am pleased we will soon have confirmation about the site and next steps for the government-run childcare centre promised by the Labor Government last year.
Demolition of the old Inglewood ambulance station caused angst in the community, with some locals wanting the building made available to Inglewood and Districts Health Services. Will there be opportunities for IDHS to seek funding to expand office space in future? MH: I am proud that the State Labor Government has built a brand-new ambulance station in Inglewood to make sure our local paramedics have the facilities and support they deserve to quickly respond to local emergencies. I understand that the demolition of the old ambulance station caused a lot of angst in the community and the way in which it was dealt with by authorities was ex-
Victoria non-stop since taking office, as it is the number one issue across our region. It is important to me that when we fix our roads, they are done properly. A lot of this work was impacted last year due to flooding and water retention on our roads, so patch jobs were the only option at that time. Most of the maintenance works are carried out between September and May, and I’m glad we’re now starting to see the roads getting repaired properly – including with more fulsome upgrades. I am also pleased that the State Labor Government is now investing an additional $2.8 billion over 10 years into road maintenance and renewal works, including flood recovery. This means that a minimum of $6.6 billion will be spent on road maintenance over the next decade. This will include rebuilding, resurfacing, and repairing works, as well as bridge and drainage repairs to support the productivity of the road network across our rural and regional areas.
The Government will soon release its response on the parliamentary report on the future of duck shooting. What
views have you expressed to key ministers on duck hunting? MH: I don’t think there is a single member of the Victorian Government that isn’t crystal clear on my view on this matter. I have and always will support recreational duck hunting, and I do not want to see it banned. I have made this view clear to the Minister for Outdoor Recreation and the former and current Premier.
You took a strong line on the rollout of renewable energy transmission lines, do you believe community consultation has improved for WRL and VNI West projects? MH: There have been some improvements to consultation by authorities on the Western Renewables Link and Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West Project, but it is still nowhere close to where it needs to be. Almost no one seems to dispute the need for more renewable energy projects to deliver cheaper, more reliable power to our State – but it’s important that we get the process right. I have raised my ongoing concerns with both projects to the relevant authorities, both state and federal, including where I believe they have not lived up to their obligations, and will continue to do so.
Premier Daniel Andrews resigned in September? What were your experiences of Daniel in the state’s top job and as Labor leader? MH: Daniel Andrews was an extremely successful premier who truly delivered for rural and regional Victoria, and I wish him all the best for his next chapter.
The election of Jacinta Allan, from your neighbouring electorate of Bendigo East, as premier has no doubt changed aspects of the Government? What remains the same and what is different under Jacinta’s leadership? MH: Jacinta is a brilliant leader and a close friend. She’s a country girl who truly understands rural and regional communities. I have known her for many years, and we have worked closely as neighbouring MPs over the last year. Every leader has their own style and I’m looking forward to continuing to deliver for rural and regional Victorians with Premier Allan at the helm.
What are your goals in the second year as the member for Ripon and specifically for Loddon communities? MH: We’ve delivered a lot for the Loddon Shire over the past 12 months, but it’s just the beginning and there’s more to do. Over the next year, I will be focused on fixing our roads, improving mobile reception, and delivering more affordable housing across the shire. I am also focused on delivering the government-run child care centre for the Loddon Shire, making sure our smaller rural communities benefit from the government’s new Tiny Towns Fund with grants up to $50,000 now on offer, and delivering our commitment to upgrade the boat ramp at Laanecoorie Reservoir. I’m looking forward to meeting more locals, listening to their concerns, and acting on them.
18 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
public noticeS
EMPLOYMENT
DECLARATION OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION Loddon Shire Council as the declared waterway manager for Loddon River (at Bridgewater between Flour Mill Weir and Sweeneys Lane), makes the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic). For the purposes of boating activity conducted by the Bridgewater Water Ski Club Inc, persons and vessels involved in the 2023 Victorian Trophy Series are exempt from the following requirements:
CAREERS AT LODDON SHIRE
Yung Balug Keeping Place
State Rules made under the Marine Act 1988
The Museum is situated on the property of Paul & Cathie Haw.
1. Clause 2(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of a person in the water 2. Clause 2(c) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel
Well worth a visit to see the amazing Artefacts collected from the Boort Region.
Waterway Rules made under the Marine Safety Act 2010 / Marine Act 1988
A recent addition is 34 photos taken by John Hunter Kerr in the 1850s. This was made possible by the State Library of Victoria.
3. Clause 62.2 of Schedule 62 – 5 knot speed restriction within waters not specified as Exclusive Use and Special Purpose Areas between Flour Mill Weir and Sweeney’s Lane. 4. Clause 62.6(a) of Schedule 62 – Exclusive Use and Special Purpose Area for Slalom and Ski Jumping - modified to allow for trick skiing. 5. Clause 62.7(d) of Schedule 62 – Operating times for the Exclusive Use and Special Purpose Area for ‘Water Skiing’.
Everyone is welcome. but please call or Email before visiting.
Subject to the conditions detailed below:
Inglewood-Bridgewater Sub Branch
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Memberships for 2024 are now due. Service Members $10.00 Affiliate Members $10.00 Social Members $10:00 For your card to remain current can you please renew before 20th December 2023. To renew your membership please contact our Membership Officer Stephen Gartside at the Inglewood Emporium.
Members of the public are cordially invited to
WEDDERBURN FIRE BRIGADE 130 YEAR CELEBRATION Tuesday 5 December 2023 at 6.OOPM Wedderburn Hotel, High Street, Wedderburn Presenta�on of service awards to begin at 6.30pm Bookings essential - RSVP Tuesday 28 November Louise Gamble, Secretary Wedderburn Fire Brigade E: fbwedr@cfa.vic.gov.au
Masters of participating vessels are only exempt from items 1 & 2 when undertaking rescue responsibilities to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety on shore. Masters of participating vessels are only exempt from items 3 to 5 for the duration of the events. ‘Trick’ skiers being towed are only exempt from items 6 & 7 provided they wear a bright coloured top. Masters of participating vessels are only exempt from items 8 & 9 when towing water skiers who are participating in trick events, and when retrieving waters skiers who are participating in trick events and exempt from wearing a lifejacket. All persons on vessels and skiers associated with the event must wear a lifejacket (unless exempt from item 7 in accordance with these conditions), and vessels must have all prescribed safety equipment, including rescue vessels. Should vessels or persons not involved in the event enter the exclusion zone, the event must be stopped until the unauthorised vessel or person has moved outside of the zone. The exemptions apply from 7:30am to 7:00pm on 2 – 3 December 2023 within the exclusion zone waters of the Loddon River between the Calder Highway Bridge and the boat ramp at Sweeney’s Lane. The exemptions apply provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the application form and associated documentation are adhered to. By Order of Loddon Shire Council Dated: 8 November 2023
Governance Coordinator – ref.J/251 Temporary, full-time position (until February 2025) Band 6 salary range $87,987$95,316 per annum plus employer superannuation Based at our Wedderburn office with flexible working arrangements available Civil Design Coordinator – ref.J/248 Full-time, permanent position Band 7 salary range $97,998$108,878 per annum plus employer superannuation Based at Council’s Wedderburn office
Phone - 0417 333 171
Applications for the positions above close on Monday 11 December 2023 at 5pm.
Email - paulcathiehaw@gmail.com
Early Childhood Educator – ref.J/250 Temporary, part-time position Based at our Boort service Salary in line with the Early Education Employees Agreement 2020
Marine Safety Regulations 2023 6. Regulation 66(3) – Persons on vessels must wear a lifejacket of type specified at all times when underway on inland waters 7. Regulation 69 – A person being towed must wear a lifejacket. 8. Regulation 70(1) – Master must ensure all occupants of vessel wear a lifejacket. 9. Regulation 70(2) – Master must not tow person unless wearing lifejacket
Loddon Shire Council is seeking applications for the following positions from highly motivated, enthusiastic, energetic and outcome focused individuals who want to make a difference and help shape our future.
Early Childhood Educator – ref.J/249 Marine Safety Act 2010 Section 208(2)
NOTICE OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXCLUSION ZONE Loddon Shire Council as the declared waterway manager for Loddon River at Bridgewater hereby gives notice under section 208(2) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic) that all persons and vessels not registered to take part in the 2023 Victorian Trophy Series are prohibited from entering and remaining in the following waters. Waters of Loddon River at Bridgewater – between the Calder Hwy Bridge and Sweenys Lane Boat Ramp The exclusion zone will be in effect from 7:30am to 7pm on 2nd December and 3rd December 2023 LODDON SHIRE COUNCIL Dated: 6 October 2023
Permanent, part-time position Based at our Pyramid Hill service Salary in line with the Early Education Employees Agreement 2020 Recreation Officer - ref.J/241 Permanent position, with flexibility to offer full-time or part-time Band 6 salary range $87,987$95,316 per annum plus employer superannuation Based at our Wedderburn Office Community Compliance Coordinator ref.J/242 Full-time, permanent position Band 6 salary range $87,987$95,316 per annum plus employer superannuation Based at our Wedderburn Office Kindergarten Activity Group Leader (Roving Position) - ref.J/240 Part-time, fixed-term position to 28 June 2024 AGL46/52 - $27.28 per hour plus employer superannuation Travel around the beautiful Shire of Loddon while working across all kindergartens. Municipal Building Surveyor – ref.J/99 Permanent, full-time position Salary package negotiable. Applications for the positions above will be considered as they are received.
LODDON HERALD CLASSIFIEDS CONNECT
For further information, including a detailed position description and details on how to apply, please visit Council’s website www.loddon.vic.gov.au or contact Council’s Organisation Development Unit on (03) 5494 1200.
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 19
SPORT
Wool buyer Cash payments On-farm appraisals 92 Rowena Street, East Bendigo Ph 5406 0629
Loddon Darts Association grand finals were played at Korong Vale on Sunday with the B Grade title won by Boort Flamingoes team of Joe Mason, Grant Tooth, Chris Remmos, Sammi McVickers, Peter Hercott and Cathy Brodie who defeated Pyramid Hill Doggies.
ADVERTISER HERE - $66 A MONTH
20 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
SPORT
Hitting the training track early ... Mitiamo players take to John Forbes Oval on Sunday for the first run of pre-season. LH PHOTO
Culture to forefront as Superoos chart rebuild
New character test By CHRIS EARL
JON VERCOE has been methodical and strategic plotting the next phase in the comeback of the once-dominant Loddon Valley Football League club Mitiamo. A year after answering the Superoos’ SOS call to coach a club struggling for players, Vercoe had more than two dozen players on John Forbes Oval signalling the start of pre-season training on Sunday. “If there’s anyone you don’t know, introduce yourselves,” Vercoe told players as they wrapped up the first session. Back in April, the Superoos were still hunting for players in a season that would produce some highlights but no appearance in the finals. “The early start is a sign of the semi-professionalism in the game now and very different to the disjointed off-season last year when we just didn’t get in a full pre-season,” Vercoe said. He said the majority of 2024’s list would be players aged between 16 and 23. “We’re working on a good culture, a fun factor,” he said. “There are locals returning to the club and youngsters, too, and we’ve recruited out of Bendigo, Echuca, Rochester, Kerang, any-
Waylon Draper
Jon Vercoe with reserves coach Sean Hanrahan (left) and assistant coach Andrew Cussen where within an hour is the club’s catchment.” “There is strategy in the plan, recruiting for certain roles, balancing the positions and the roles and the ages (of players). “I’ve tried to have a list that’s balanced across each line.” And Vercoe said the character of players was an important part of the recruitment strategy, mirroring a proven approach of Richmond administrator Graeme Richmond when building the dynastic Tigers in the VFL in the 1960s. Richmond would be more interested in the player’s homelife
sometimes and while Vercoe has not gone to those lengths in recruiting players, he admits to looking for players who “will come for the right reasons, people we want to build the culture”. “I would rather guys putting the team first,” Vercoe said. Andrew Cussen, who crossed from Kangaroo Flat after the 2019 season, has been appointed Vercoe’s assistant. Alex Lloyd has been picked up out of Kerang to add depth to the Superoos’ forward line. Tall mobile player Jake Price who has previously played on the wing and half back flank is
switching from Heathcote league club Huntly while the recruit list also boasts Jack Vinnicombe (Golden Square) and the returning Nathan Twigg along with Zak Myers, Bryce Laird, Liam Shiell, Marong under 18 pair Brodie Coombs and Jacob Manning, Ethan Coombs and Nick Hicks. Vercoe says recruiting is continuing but the club is in a far better position than a year ago. Fitness. skills and the game plan are his focus in pre-season. “All we can control is ourselves,” he said. “Organise our game plan and enjoy ourselves.” “And with the majority of
Harvey White finds himself in the centre of a ball drill on Sunday
the list in that 16-23 age group, where that takes us who knows? “Every club in the league is looking to improve and that’s good,” said Vercoe. Player depth that hindered the Superoos in 2023 could become a memory in the seniors and reserves. They have appointed former player Sean Hanrahan as coach of the seconds. Four wins in the second half of the season lifted Mitiamo to sixth spot on the senior ladder last season, but well behind fifth placed Bridgewater. The seconds had five wins to come in seventh. Club officials have hailed the turnaround of the Superoos since they put Vercoe in the hot seat last November. Flying players from interstate has stopped as Vercoe casts his recruiting net across central and northern Victoria, focus matched with equal determination to nurture young players in the Mitiamo district. Those colts, earning junior stripes with East Loddon Rams, are also building a future for the Superoos with opportunities in senior and reserve ranks. “We have to be patient in rebuilding the sides ... you can’t have success all the time,” said Vercoe.
Colby Collins
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 21
SPORT
Scattered play after overnight dumps FORFEITS and washouts hit tennis competitions across the Loddon at the weekend. Just one match was played in the Marong association while Lake Meran came within two games of Loddon Valley yardstick Calivil North in one of two encounters completed. Lake Meran had the endurance to win several tie-breaks in men’s and mixed sets. Woodstock’s A Grade women dominated play in their sets against Lockwood but was unable to produce consistency and depth in other sections despite coming out on top in several tie-breakers. The win has given Lockwood a 12-point buffer in fourth spot.
EST. 1874
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Raywood d Yarrawalla 100-79 MEN: M. Collins J. Sinclair lost to L. Forster L. Roberts 5-7. M. Collins H. Wall d L. Forster H. Emmerson 7-1. J. Sinclair H. Wall d L. Roberts H. Emmerson 7-3. P. Harris R. Haw d V. Herrick T. Stevens 7-2. P. Harris F. Stewart d V. Herrick T. Whinfield 7-2. R. Haw A. Wall d T. Stevens T. Whinfield 7-2. LADIES: P. Wall C. Haw d C. Emmerson I. Broad 7-3. P. Wall B. Zuidema lost to C. Emmerson M. Schmidt 3-7. C. Haw B. Zuidema d I. Broad M. Schmidt 7-3. M. Ludeman L. Wall lost to E. Moon T. Broad 3-7. M. Ludeman C. Sinclair d E. Moon L. Fox 7-4. L. Wall C. Sinclair lost to T. Broad L. Fox 6-7. MIXED: H. Wall P. Wall d L. Roberts I. Broad 7-3. J. Sinclair B. Zuidema lost to L. Forster C. Emmerson 6-7. M. Collins M. Ludeman lost to H. Emmerson M. Schmidt 6-7. R. Haw C. Haw d V. Herrick L. Fox 7-1. P. Harris C. Sinclair lost to T. Stevens E. Moon 4-7. F. Stewart L. Wall d T. Broad T. Whinfielde 7-6.
Lake Meran lost to Calivil North 76-78 MEN: C. Chamberlain A. Chamberlain d C. Smith J. Smith 7-5. C. Chamberlain D. Sutherland d C. Smith L. Strachan 7-4. A. Chamberlain E. Moresi lost to J. Smith O. Balic 6-7. E. Moresi N. Pickering lost to J. Smith A. Lister 3-7. N. Pickering D. Sutherland lost to O. Balic L. Strachan 2-7. LADIES: B. Moresi R. Fawcett lost to M. Balic L. Strachan 0-7. B. Moresi C. Downs lost to M. Balic H. Vinnicombe 1-7. R. Fawcett V. Moresi d L. Strachan S. Lister 7-4. V. Moresi T. Pickering d S. Lister M. Smith 7-1. T. Pickering C. Downs d M. Smith H. Vinnicombe 7-2. MIXED: C. Chamberlain B. Moresi lost to M. Balic L. Strachan 3-7. A. Chamberlain R. Fawcett d J. Smith L. Strachan 7-6. D. Sutherland C. Downs d C. Smith H. Vinnicombe 7-1. E. Moresi V. Moresi d A. Lister S. Lister 7-6. N. Pickering T. Pickering lost to J. Smith M. Smith 5-7.
Serpentine v Dingee washed out
LADDER 4.17 3.50 3.25 3.17 1.92
VICTORIA HOTEL
Love our local!
LODDON VALLEY
Mincha West Calivil North Dingee Raywood Serpentine
PYRAMID HILL
157.35 104.70 116.05 109.27 88.31
Woodstock’s Ash Curnow in action on Saturday. LH PHOTO Yarrawalla Lake Meran
1.17 0.33
83.44 62.98
MARONG
Stone A. Curnow lost to K. Mannix R. Wells 0-6. N. Earl P. Morris lost to C. Shevlin B. Wells 0-6. A. AndrewsStone K. Punton d H. Michelsen M. Rice 6-2.
Marong won on forfeit from Wilsons Reef Newbridge won on forfeit from Harcourt
Woodstock 6-57 lost to Lockwood 12-94 A LADIES: H. Robbins F. Curnow d D. Wells A. Wells 6-3. H. Robbins J. Leversha d D. Wells T. Miller 6-3. F. Curnow J. Leversha d A. Wells T. Miller 6-4. B LADIES: H. Stone A. Andrews-Stone lost to K. Mannix C. Shevlin 5-6. H. Stone P. Morris lost to K. Mannix H. Michelsen 2-6. A. Andrews-Stone P. Morris lost to C. Shevlin H. Michelsen 1-6. A MEN: M. Mulgrew D. Tolly lost to L. Nixon A. Doyle 2-6. M. Mulgrew D. Heather lost to L. Nixon A. McLean 2-6. D. Tolly D. Heather lost to A. Doyle A. Mclean 3-6. B MEN: A. Curnow N. Earl lost to R. Wells B. Wells 0-6. A. Curnow K. Punton lost to R. Wells M. Rice 1-6. N. Earl K. Punton d B. Wells M. Rice 6-5. MIXED: H. Robbins M. Mulgrew d D. Wells L. Nixon 6-5. F. Curnow D. Tolly lost to A. Doyle A. Wells 2-6. J. Leversha D. Heather lost to T. Miller A. McLean 3-6. H.
PETER PETER WALSH WALSH MP PETER PETER WALSH WALSH MP PETER PETER WALSH MP YOUR VOICE YOURWALSH VOICE IN IN GOVERNMENT PARLIAMENT
YOUR VOICE IN GOVERNMENT YOUR VOICE VOICE IN IN GOVERNMENT PARLIAMENT YOUR YOUR VOICE IN PARLIAMENT
We are family, friends, colleagues and neighbours If you need advice with but most of allcolleagues weor areassistance a community. We are—family, friends, and neighbours We are family,advice friends, colleagues and neighbourswith If you need or assistance — but most ofprofound all we to are agovernment, community. If you need advice withafter your The coronavirus pandemic had aof impact on all our lives so looking anything related — buthasmost all weor areassistance a community. mental wellbeing is essential. It is normal to feel anxious, stressed and fearful during The coronavirus pandemic has related had a profound to impact on all our lives so looking after times your anything government, The coronavirus pandemic hasIt related had a profound impact onthe all our lives sofearful looking aftertimes yourof anything to government, of crisis. Theor Federal Government isnormal providing support for mental health andduring wellbeing in your general day-to-day life, mental wellbeing is essential. is to feel anxious, stressed and is essential. It isisnormal feel anxious, stressed fearful times Australians wein face the challenges of thetopandemic; gothe to www.headtohealth.gov.au if you ofmental crisis.wellbeing Theas Federal Government providing support for mentaland health andduring wellbeing of or your general day-to-day life, of crisis. The Federal Government is providing support for the mental health and wellbeing of or in your general day-to-day life, feel like you might need some additional help coping with anxiety and worry about Coronavirus. please contact my offi ce on the details Australians as we face the challenges of the pandemic; go to www.headtohealth.gov.au if you Australians we need face the challenges the pandemic; goanxiety to www.headtohealth.gov.au if you feel like please you as might some additionalof help coping with and worry about Coronavirus. contact my offi ce on the details feel like please you might needcontact some additionalmy help coping with anxiety and worry about Coronavirus. offi ce on the details below and we information will dogo toour best toor follow help For the latest Coronavirus peterwalsh.org.au us onyou. We are in this together, and together we will get through. below and we will do our best to help For the latest Coronavirus information go to peterwalsh.org.au or follow us onyou. below and we information will dogo toour best toor follow help For the latest Coronavirus peterwalsh.org.au us onyou. Peter Walsh MP We are in this together, and together we will get through.
496 High Street, Echuca 3564 Tel: 5482 2039 or 1300 467 906 E: peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au
We are in this together, and together we will get through.
Peter Walsh MP 496 High Street, Echuca 3564 Tel: 5482 2039 or 1300 467 906 E: peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au Peter Walsh MP 496 High Street, Echuca 3564 Tel: 5482 2039 or 1300 467 906 E: peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au
LADDER Harcourt Marong Derby Lockwood Newbridge Wilsons Reef Woodstock
73 69 63 63 51 47 34
zz Inglewood and District Association - Korong Vale forfeited to Powlett. Wedderburn Junction v Fentons Creek washed out. zz Boort lawn tennis was washed out
Nevins takes helm
CHRIS Nevins is acting as president at Inglewood Football Club after Chris Cohalan stepped down at the annual meeting. Cohalan said in his report: “The football field saw a number of monkeys removed from our backs, particular in the senior side. This included the first finals appearance for the seniors since 2003, as well as reserves and under 18s also participating in finals.” Suzi Birthisel has been elected secretary of the Blues, taking over from David Rose.
Mandy steps up to lead Maroons MANDY Dixon has been elected president of Newbridge Football Club after serving as vice-president for the past two seasons. She has swapped roles with Andrew Friswell who continues on the committee as vice-president. Chris Dixon continues as treasurer with Mark Holland again treasurer.
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22 | Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023
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Top spot sits with Dingee ... for now DINGEE has put itself on top of the Bendigo playing area Division 4 ladder after a stirring sixshot win over White Hills. It was the success of Keith Murphy’s rink that helped secure crucial points, finishing 10 shots up. Scorelines were tighter for Leo Demeo’s rink going down by one and Bruce Lawry finishing up one. Calivil had a thumping win over Bendigo East and sits third on the ladder, just two points behind Dingee in a tight early season battle for a final four finish.
INGLEWOOD The Division 5 team had to dig deep for a win against White Hills in a tense struggle with one rink winning by one shot and the other by two shots on a heavy green in Bendigo midweek pennant last week against Harcourt. The Division 1 team had a good win in the end, but two rinks had to fight hard to overcome their opponents Bendigo with one rink getting up on the last end by one shot. Best rink on the day were Lindsay Kelly, Chris McEwan, Pat Schram, Rob Day with a 15-shot win. In weekend pennant, Premier League travelled to Moama for what was always going to be a tough contest. Two rinks were able to hold their opponents to close encounters. But, unfortunately the other two rinks were overwhelmed
Pennant bowls action at Bridgewater on Saturday - Chris Wattie (left) and Margaret Wright. LH PHOTOS by strong opposition that were on fire. The two rinks that performed well were Vicky Tierney, David Whitehead, John Jackman, Lindsay Kelly with a one-shot loss and Robert Stranger, Denis Wilson, Bruce McClymont, Geoff Wilson with a credible sevenshot loss. The Division 6 team had a heartbreaking one-shot loss to Golden Square. Everyone fought
on valiantly with the best rink on the day again being Blake Smyth, Kevin Stewart, Bev Taig, Helen Leach winning by 13 shots. This team are still in Second place on the ladder and tackle the top side Castlemaine this Saturday. Members have been on the road the last week week with Pam Kelly, Vicky Tierney, John Jackman and Lindsay Kelly going to Avoca.
Others members Bev Taig, Helen Leech and Wendy Wilson had an enjoyable day at Harcourt.
BRIDGEWATER Both the Divison Five and Seven sides played at home this week in overcast conditions with light rain holding up proceedings midway through the day. The greens played well considering the heavy downpour on Friday evening.
The Division Five side managed a good win against South Bendigo winning three rinks on the day and losing the fourth rink narrowly. Glenn Mangan’s rink was the leading rink winning by nine shots. Division Seven played Harcourt Blue losing both rinks on the day with Ian Clutton’s rink going down narrowly by two shots in a close contest.
PENNANT BOWLS RESULTS BENDIGO Premier – Moama 95-18 d Inglewood 44-0. J Brighton, E Simmonds, C Millerick, C Keenan (s) d V Tierney, D Whitehead, J Jackman, L Kelly (s) 17-16. J Hogan, G Dorward, P Campbell, A Marshall (s) d R Stranger, D Wilson, B McClymont, G Wilson (s) 18-11. P Newcombe, R Wastell, K Brennan, K Anderson (s) d D Garrett, J McClymont, C Kelly, R Day (s) 28-8. O Cartwright, B Brennan, B Campbell, T Kelly (s) d M Chamberlain, T Birthisel, D Vanston, I Chamberlain (s) 32-9. Division 3 – Kangaroo Flat 82-16 d Serpentine 62-2. C Verbeek, E Caine, J Griffiths, B Duncan (s) d L Cadzow, B Tuohey, D Walker, D Anset (s) 17-11. W Wigmore, C Saari, H Hornstra, D Martin (s) lost to W Gladman, L Baber, R Hasty, N Tonkin (s) 18-28. R Shippard, B Hansen, K Lawlor, D Nicholls (s) d F Maher, J Collinson, B Long, R Gladman (s) 29-12. R Sparke, A Ferguson, T Hurford, J Grant (s) d K Canfield, G Addlem, A Bish, B Gladman (s) 18-16. Ladder: Kangaroo Flat 70, Heathcote 64, Serpentine 60, Castlemaine 60, Bendigo 55, South Bendigo 51, Eaglehawk 46, Golden Square 26. Division 4 – White Hills 70-4 lost to Dingee 76-14. F Gargiulo, G Austin, P McGuire, B Colbert (s) d G Clarke, M Grieves, R Thompson, Leo Demeo (s) 19-18. B Sheen, L Lightburn, W McCurdy, C Jansen (s) d K Pollock, S Cail, Lyn Demeo, F Grieves (s) 23-19. E Jardine, T Lamb, G Garnder, H Walklate (s) lost to A Hay, J Monoghan, L Hocking, K Murphy (s) 11-21. R Parmenter, B Evans, P Fogliani, A Charlton (s) lost to T Kavanagh, G Devanny, B West, B Lawry (s) 17-18. Calivil 109-18 d Bendigo East 38-0. A Dennis, W Lourie, M Dennis, N Dennis (s) d G Holt, R Miller, J Dullard, J Hoffman (s) 23-10. C Maxted, B Meighan, C Mitchell, W Miles (s) d C Butler, S Vowles, L Parker, W Schmidt (s) 36-6. R Boyd, R Lourie, M Collett, G Maxted (s) d J Knott, L Randell, G Bowles, C Findlay (s) 24-12. I Mansbridge, G Lourie, G Ray, L Gronow (s) d J Judd, B Dellar, A Bamkin, K Browell (s) 26-10. Ladder: Dingee 68, Woodbury 67, Cal-
South Bendigo 106-16 d Dingee 22-0. R McCumber, R Morrighan, M Kirkpatrick, J Hayes (s) d N Thomas, S Lawry, Leo Demeo, Lyn Demeo (s) 33-9. J Ryan, S Howe, E Bowland, L Doolan (s) d K Pollock, V Sproull, F Grieves, M Grieves (s) 26-8. S Driesen, M Rowley, L Cairncross, T Gretgrix (s) d L Hocking, P Plant, B West, S Cail (s) 46-5. Ladder: South Bendigo 95, North Bendigo 91, Kangaroo Flat 64, Harcourt 48, Dingee 48, Strathfieldsaye 36, Calivil-Serpentine 34, Golden Square 32. Division 5 – Inglewood 31-1 lost to South Bendigo 42-13. C Leech, P McEwan, P Lyndon, D Whitehead (s) lost to R Challinor, S Hampson, P Milburn, K Presley (s) 15-26. J Roberts, D Roberts, I Bradley, P Kelly (s) drew K Doolan, B Pell, B Fayers, G Pinniger (s) 16-16.
NORTH CENTRAL Bridgewater skip Glenn Mangan guides play in the clash with South Bendigo. LH PHOTO ivil 66, White Hills 59, Bendigo East 51, Marong 48, Harcourt 46, Bendigo 27. Division 5 – Bridgewater 79-16 d South Bendigo 63-2. L Catto, C Payne, R Broadbent, G Mangan (s) d P Griffin, M Holland, A Frawley, M Rechter (s) 27-18. B Catto, G Catto, M Wright, R Smith (s) d R Challinor, B Rosewall, D Campbell, J Grifin (s) 18-11. D Wilson, C Brooshooft, P Short, J Fagen (s) lost to S Howe, D Mellington, B Mott, J McIntosh (s) 18-20. B McNaught, T Bryer, B Oughtred, C Mangan (s) d S Doull, S Roberts, E Bullow, J Geldart (s) 16-14. Division 6 – Golden Square d Inglewood 51-50. G Fry, M Bayliss, K Skinner, T Cope (s) d S Laird, C Leach, P Kelly, C McEwan (s) 21-15. R Grainger, F Marshall, W Wood, H Hendy (s) d W Concol, W Wilson, P Lyndon, I Bradley (s) 22-14. J Watson, S Hutchinson, R Bird, M Lea (s) lost to B Smyth, K Stewart, B Taig, H Leech (s) 8-21. Ladder: Castlemaine 77, Inglewood 62, Golden Square 62, Eaglehawk 58, Kangaroo Flat 53, Heathcote 46, Bendigo East 20, Marong 6. Division 7 – Bridgewater 27-0 lost to Harcourt Blue 47-14. J Hosking, J Ough-
tred, P Gath, F Shea (s) lost to M Scholes, G Ace, A Manallack, B Ede (s) 8-26. G Mabon, D Payne, C Wattie, I Clutton (s) lost to C Maddern, B Buchanan, R Williams, K Francis (s) 19-21. Midweek Division 1 – Golden Square 6114 d Inglewood 56-2. C Bird, Y Robinson, L Moloney, J Ross (s) d M Chamberlain, D Vanston, A Caserta, I Chamberlain (s) 24-19. M Cusack, L Whiffin, P Gooch, N Bowland (s) lost to B McClymont, H Leech, G Wilson, L Witham (s) 15-24. A Collins, D Cheesman, G Fordham, A Eddy (s) d V Tierney, C McEwan, P Schram, L Kelly (s) 22-13. Ladder: South Bendigo 92, Kangaroo Flat 74, Inglewood 70, Eaglehawk 56, Bendigo 47, Golden Square 44, Woodbury 36, Bendigo East 29. Division 4 – Kangaroo Flat 67-14 d Calivil-Serpentine 55-2. W Caine, C Wiegard, I Vogels, E Caine (s) lost to R Boyd, J Wiltshire, H Gronow, D Walker (s) 21-24. B Lynch, P Wiegard, H Troy, C Verbeek (s) d I Mansbridge, J Clymo, C Maxted, L Gronow (s) 24-15. D Johnson, H Hornstra, B Smith, A Ferguson (s) d L Dennis, M Boyd, N Ralphs, C Mitchell (s) 22-16.
Division 1 – Donald 56-2 lost to Wedderburn 59-10. C Anderson, J Aitken, J Howley, N Hollis (s) d R Guelfo, B Hargreaves, L Witham, D Mason (s) 19-15. W Meyer, I McEwen, L Morgan, K Adamson (s) lost to A Roberts, D Stephenson, R Montebello, N Holt (s) 21-24. N Barber, H Wingfield, R Collins, W Hegarty (s) lost to C Mills, W Roberts, A Holt, A Jackson (s) 16-20. St Arnaud 86-12 d Boort 47-0. D Shepherd, G Simpson, C Marchment, P McRae (s) d S Roberts, G Gardner, K Birt, S Morris (s) 35-12. T Amos, G McNally, G Hancock, S Zsigmond (s) d A Matley, J Maxted, J Gibson, L Maxted (s) 28-15. T Marland, K Dyke, M Wood, T McSwain (s) d T Nisbet, K Ritchie, D Gibson, K Depiazza (s) 23-20. Ladder: St Arnaud 64, Wycheproof 55, Wedderburn 54, Donald Golf 45, Boort 35, Charlton 34, St Arnaud Country 30, Donald 19. Division 2 – Donald 61-2 lost to Wedderburn 87-10. J Anderson, J Wood, B Milne, T Farrer (s) lost to R Ashley, J Grant, R Hall, L Standfield (s) 16-31. D Knight, F McConville, A McEwen, D Romeo (s) lost to S Lear, J Murnane, J Matthews, I Hall (s) 1437. R Gravestocks, J Subprom, M Hollis, M Quick (s) d N White, A Benaim, L Holt, G Burnside (s) 31-19. St Arnaud 71-8 d Boort 65-4. F James,
J Prendergast, C Coates, L Goddard (s) lost to I Allison, R Taylor, C Newsome, G Smith (s) 20-23. G Smith McRae, C Cheesman, G Shinners (s) d S Polack, G Charles, C Roberts, J Earl (s) 30-17. J Barron, T Robertson, K Bibby, B Eccles (s) lost to C Wood, D Brunt, A Gould, G Hudson (s) 21-25. Ladder: Wycheproof 65, Charlton 54, Wedderburn 50, Donald Golf 48, St Arnaud Country 42, Boort 26, Donald 10. Midweek – Boort 62-2 lost to Wedderburn 66-10. P Baker, T Noles, J Maxted, G Gardner (s) d R Little, J Matthews, A Roberts, L Witham (s) 24-21. Y Cashen, C Roberts, D Gibson, J Gibson (s) lost to J Murnane, R Hall, I Hall, A Caserta (s) 18-23. J Earl, A Matley, G Tweddle, K Birt (s) lost to H Stephenson, S Steel, N Holt, A Jackson (s) 20-22. Ladder: Donald Golf 58, Wycheproof 50, Wedderburn 48, Charlton 38, St Arnaud 34, Boort 32, Donald 24, St Arnaud Country 4.
NORTHERN Division 2 – Pyramid Hill 69-2 lost to Barham 2 87-10. R Harris, I Bartels, M Noelker, J Leed (s) lost to G Archard, J Holloway, K Ashton, S Manners (s) 17-30. D Demaine, R Price, J Mann, L Mann (s) d G Lake, E Graco, C Hope, D Paterson (s) 3623. W Boyd, T Stobaus, E Carmody, M Scott (s) lost to G Keane, M McNeill, I Fasham, V Kendell (s) 16-34. Midweek – Division 1: Kerang 103-12 d Pyramid Hill 64-0. B Williams, C Fisher, M Orr, M Hamon (s) d R Harris, J Cauchi, M L’Hullier, A Cantwell (s) 38-21. G Fagg, H McBain, G Teasdale, D Murphy (s) d I Bartels, T Stobaus, P Coates, R Opie (s) 34-20. B Theobald, C Pay, P Pascoe, T Pocock (s) d W Boyd, M Noelker, E Carmody, M Scott (s) 31-23. Ladder: Cohuna 1 63, Barham 59, Kerang 43, Cohuna Golf 37, Pyramid Hill 36, Cohuna 2 14. Division 2 – Pyramid Hill 36-0 lost to Kerang 57-8. C Cauchi, R Price, G Miller, L Dingwall (s) lost to J Harrison, D Frantz, S Maddox, J Adams (s) 19-21. A Fidler, D Kaye, W Cowan, D Miller (s) lost to M Miller, T Nolan, D Randell, M Theobald (s) 17-36.
Loddon HERALD Thursday November 30, 2023 | 23
Murphy’s law! Riley rips through tail RILEY Murphy wiped out the Boort Yando’s tailend resistance to claim two wickets and victory for Kingower on Saturday. The youngster was given the ball in the 79th over with Boort sitting on 8/79 and Daniel Lehman still hoping to steer the home side beyond the 129-run target set by Kingower. Murphy bowled two dot balls before taking the crucial wicket of Lehman after hitting 25 runs off 43 deliveries. Confusion also saw Gary Zanker run out and then Murphy settled the day’s business with his fifth ball that had Nick Scott dis-
missed for a golden duck, Ben Rose took care of Boort’s top order with the scalps of skipper Smith, Knight and Cockerell, teaming with Will Deason for the last two who took key catches in the 15th over to have the home side 3/41, Jarod Hodoras had a stirring but short stint at the crease, two fours and nine runs off 11 deliveries, only to be bowled by Pickles and start another quick turnover at the crease that saw Minogue and Gould dismissed cheaply. Fergus Bear had little strike time and was then dismissed by
a De Jong delivery. Kingower’s mid-order 62-run partnership of De Jong and Ben Rose had earlier steered the side to a commanding 5/129. The bottom line was exaggerated with the inclusion of 18 extras by Boort bowlers. The match between Arnold and Wedderburn Band was abandoned after more than 30mm of rain Friday afternoon and overnight before the game.
Boort Yando v Kingower Kingower M. Rowe b J. Hodoras ........................... 21 W. Deason c G. Zanker b N. Scott ........... 5 J. Leach run out (B. Minogue) ................ 17 B. Pickles b J. Hodoras . .......................... 5 L. DeJong not out . ................................. 42 B. Rose c J. Smith b A. Cockerell .......... 18 I Johnston-McCloud not out .................... 3 Extras ..................................................... 18 Total ............................................5/129 Bowling A. Cockerell 7-1-1-23, N. Scott &-0-1-34, J. Hodoras 7-1-2-23 ), F. Bear 7-0-0-24, D. Lehman 4-0-0-9, B. Minogue 3-0-0-10. Boort Yando J. Smith lbw B. Rose .............................. 20 A. Knight c W. Deason b B. Rose . ......... 12 A. Cockerell c W. Deason b B. Rose ........ 5 F. Bear c R. Smith b L. DeJong ................ 5 J. Hodoras c M. Lonza b B. Pickles ......... 9 B. Minogue run out (B. Pickles) ................ 0 W. Gould b L. DeJong .............................. 0 D. Lehman b R. Murphy ......................... 25 T. Flick not out ........................................... 0 G.Zanker run out ( B. Rose ) . ................... 1 N. Scott b R. Murphy ............................... 0 Extras ....................................................... 3 Total ................................................ 80 Bowling J. Leach 7-2-0-9, M. Rowe 4-0-017, B. Rose 4-0-3-5, L. DeJong 7-1-2-20, B. Pickles 7-0-1-27, R. Murphy 0.5-0-2-1.
Arnold cricketers sweep the pitch after Friday’s deluge. L;H PHOTO
THIS WEEK KIngower v Arnold Wedderburn v Boort Yando
Kookaburra Cup depth tested Kingower KINGOWER on Sunday, competed in the Northern Rivers T20 Kookaburra Cup competition. Although beaten in both games, the team performed credibly against their more fancied opponents, with a lack of depth a telling factor, but
credit to the players who filled in for the day. Game 1 - Kingower 79 (K. Simpson 24, L. DeJong 18) were defeated by Tallarook 1/84 Game 2 - Strathfieldsaye 6/128 (C. Innes 3/37, J. Leach 2/20) def. Kingower 6/83 (M. Rowe 27).
Flynn Lock ... impressive figures for Bridgewater. LH PHOTO
Flynn locks in tight deliveries JUST the Bridgewater-Kingower game was played in Upper Loddon junior cricket on Saturday, as the deluge on Friday evening caused the Wedderburn-Boort Yando game to be called off and it will now be played as a one dayer this week. Kingower won the toss and elected to bat, but due to some accurate bowling and a damp outfield, runs were hard to come by, with just ten runs coming from the first 10 overs sent down by Flynn Lock and Connor Alexander. Seth Hewitt, bowling off a two step run up due to a hamstring injury, also proved hard to get away, conceding just eight runs of his first eight overs. Riley Murphy and Evan McCoy, the two Kingower openers, eventually started finding some gaps in the field, with Murphy being the more aggressive. Murphy reached 50 shortly after the lunch break with McCoy then upping his run rate before retiring on 35 six overs later. These two batsmen scored the bulk of Kingower’s final total of two for 143. Lock returned to the crease
By MICHAEL ROSE later in the day for a second spell and remarkably only three of the 55 deliveries he bowled were scored from. Six runs off nine overs were his final figures as well as taking one of the two wickets to fall. Alexander was the other successful bowler. In all, Bridgewater did well to send down a total of 50 overs for the day.
Bridgewater v Kingower Kingower 1 st innings E. McCoy retired .................................... 35 R. Murphy retired ................................... 50 J. Luckman c N. Wickham b F. Lock ........ 3 L. McCoy c H. Kilby b C. Alexander . ....... 0 R. Smith retired ........................................ 3 M. Lonza retired ....................................... 4 X. Wilson retired ....................................... 1 R. Leach retired ........................................ 1 F. Lonza not out ........................................ 0 H. Leach retired ........................................ 0 T. Cook not out . ....................................... 0 Extras ..................................................... 46 Total ........................................... 2/143 Bowling F. Lock 9-5-1-6, C. Alexander 105-1-22, S. Hewitt 10-3-0-17, N. Harrison 3-0-0-11, N. Wickham 4-0-0-21, B. Smyth 2-0-0-11, M. Whitton 5-1-0-21, X. Power 3-1-0-5, H. Kilby 2-0-0-5, J. Birthisel 2-0-08, V. Harrison 1-0-0-4.
Loddon HERALD
sport
Thursday November 30, 2023
EAGLES ARE WANTED FOOTBALL LATEST
By CHRIS EARL
LODDON Valley Football League wants Maiden Gully in its under 18 competition next season.
League president Simon Tuohey on Tuesday said he would work tirelessly to have the Eagles in a potential seven-team junior competition. “As a league, we will bend over backwards to make this happen,” Tuohey said following the league’s annual general meeting on Monday night. The vow came just days after AFL Central Victoria commissioners rejected a bid by the Eagles to put their reformed under 18 team in the major Bendigo league. Eagles’ president Chris Garlick said the club would not comment on the decision while it reviewed possible action. But Maiden Gully has told Loddon Valley it will not field a team in the local league. A change of heart by Maiden Gully would raise the number of Loddon Valley junior teams to seven in 2024. Newbridge is reforming its young outfit and already has 11 players committed to don the Maroons jumper. Pyramid Hill reformed this year and East Loddon Rams was established in 2022 for players aligned to Serpentine, Mitiamo and Calivil. Tuohey said: “The league re-
I will work tirelessly to have Maiden Gully in our junior competition - Simon Tuohey mains flexible and accommodating of clubs in managing the cyclic availability of junior players in country communities. We worked to form the Rams to make sure kids at those three clubs were not missing out on a game.” Maiden Gully has stood out of under 18 football for two seasons although its failed bids to switch to the Heathcote league foe 2023 and then again for 2024 includ-
ed a commitment to field a junior side. The Eagles played in four consecutive Loddon Valley under 18 grand finals, winning the flag in 2019. They have appointed under 18 coaches for next season and an all-club training run was scheduled for last night at its Marist Oval headquarters. Neither Maiden Gully or Bendigo league are commenting on
future plans that are believed include the whole club stepping up to the major league as early as 2025. AFL Central Victoria started a new under 18 competition this year but attracted only five clubs - all from Loddon Valley. The juniors will return under Loddon Valley’s umbrella for 2024. A seven-team competition would be the biggest since before COVID.
COMMENT
Unhelpful ‘agenda’ silence FOOTBALL in country Victoria has become a semiprofessional pursuit. Leagues and clubs receive financial support from business sponsors and even Loddon Shire and other councils. Their acceptance of public money brings responsibility to be transparent in dealings. That includes their plans about changing competitions. But Maiden Gully, involved in protracted agitation to find a home away from the Loddon Valley league. is staying “mum” on plans. And Bendigo league has cited confidentiality for sidestepping any statement that would unveil its plans for the future. Yet both have taken aim at AFL Central Victoria commissioners for communication and information on the rejected under 18 football side bid by Maiden Gully, or the lack of it. On the football field of public opinion, those responses may be perceived as nothing short of whinging. Simply taking a swipe because things didn’t go the way they wanted. The commission is far from perfect and cannot be fully absolved from responsibility for the ongoing debilitation that has beset the structure of football in the region. But a major league and a disgruntled club hiding their plans - the agenda lacks commonsense if there is to be conversation to benefit football locally and in the region.
- CHRIS EARL