GRAVEL CRASH

By CHRIS EARL

CONTRACTORS have been forced to start again on a $3 million project repairing a flood-damaged road.

Residents claim workers were within days of resealing more than 3km of the Prairie-Rochester Road when the State Government ordered the changes.

Prairie farmers said original plans raised the road 150mm but did not replace culverts.

“Now the contractors have been told remove that 150mm and still no new culverts,” said Alan Wiltshire.

“We tried to tell the Transport Department that without replacing culverts, it would be a complete disaster. They haven’t listened,

“The contractors did a great job ... the project was within days of the road being ready for sealing and then they were told there had been a change of plans.

“For what it’s costing to start again and drop the road back down 150mm, they could have put in better culverts to better manage future floods. It’s a total waste of money.”

Mr Wiltshire said the costly road fix “is not going to improve the road one iota”.

And Mr Wiltshire’s frustrations are shared by Emily Hocking whose family farm remains blocked with the second attempt at works expected to take another month to complete.

“It would have been finished by now and we would have had access to our property,” she said.

They also said residents around Prairie had attempted to contact

Regional Roads Victoria early this year about plans for road repairs and culverts but Mr Wiltshire said: “I got a case number but never heard a word.”

Prairie-Rochester Road was one of the last to re-open after the October flood emergency and the State Government announced funding to “replace the road with a stronger base and new surface, boosting the hundreds of farmers, freight and local residents who use the road each day”.

A Government spokesperson said: “Following commencement of repair works, a design revision indicated further excavation was required in an isolated area to maintain the section of road’s existing surface levels. Works have continued after the design revision was approved.”

“The works remain within budget and are on track for completion in August.”

The spokesperson said site in- spections were made by the Department of Transport and Planning after October’s floods to determine the preliminary scope of works between Bendigo-Pyramid Road and Phillips Road. Roadworks stop about 800 metres from the Bendigo-Pyramid Road intersection.

LOOKS like Bradley of Boort and the chap vying for the title of the fittest man in Inglewood, Luckless Grills no less, travelled somewhat similar positive paths at the weekend when it came to numbers. Bradley set the scene with his latest Treemendous sign showing determination for positive numbers.

JUST down the Loddon Valley Highway at Serpentine, Luckless Grills kind of swapped the olive attire of local football umpires. Acting as goal umpire for a junior match, he forgot to duck into the Ambulance Auxiliary op-shop before the game to pick up the traditional white coat that usually dominates the livery of white flag wavers. That didn’t stop him struggling to unfurl the ensigns to formally record a score. In fact, Luckless Grills was in such a hurry to have goals and behinds registered on the scoreboard that he usurped the field umpire in calling all clear. His speed and constant pacing across goals also meant he notched up more steps for the match than sparring partner The Oracle who stayed to form and rarely strayed from the centre

WE HAVE discovered that yes, football umpires do have a sense of humour. Stumbled across a Bendigo Umpires’ Association webpage that had a joke section. One went something like this: A guy walks into a bar and sits at the bar, after a while he starts chatting to the bartender and he says “hey I’ve got the funniest joke about Carlton supporters”. The bartender says “I’ll stop you there mate, obviously you can’t see, but I’m a semi-pro kick boxer, just doing bar work until i get a few more wins under my belt, the bloke sitting next to you, he’s a mate of mine from kick boxing, and the two bouncers by the door, who are in ear shot, they are both power lifters and karate black belts. Now all four of us barrack for the Blues. With that in mind do you really want to tell your joke?” The guy thinks about it for a second and says “no way, not if i’m going to have to explain it four times”.

THE Good Doc and his spider have chimed in again on the climes. “Bill Collins predicts serious, season-defining rain, not trivial showersyou can leave that to Jane Bunn. Think of him as the arachnid equivalent of Lennox Walker or Indigo Jones,” contributes the Good Doc this week. And in late offering, he says Son of Bill was on the job on Tuesday and rain fell all day.

FOR readers younger than the Good Doc, who by the way is fitter than Luckless Grills, Walker and Jones were long-range weather forecasters able to predict with greater accuracy than the BoM. Based on the Doc’s praise, the tentacles of his Bill and son

Ambo station call within year

AMBULANCE Victoria wants to have its site picked for a permanent ambulance station in Wedderburn within 12 months.

There have been talks between Ambulance Victoria, Loddon Shire and Wedderburn Lions Club on possible use of land in Wilson Street.

Council set aside the land in 2016 as Lions developed plans for a proposed aged care facility. However, that agreement has since been extended and ends next year and Cr Gavan Holt told last week’s council meeting that it was hoped a decision on future use of the land would be made by December.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said: “We aim to provide our patients with the best care, every time, and as communities like Wedderburn grow, it is important we grow with them.

“Ambulance Victoria is continuing discussions with Loddon Shire Council and the Wedderburn community to identify a preferred site for a new ambulance branch.

“We hope to have identified a location by mid-2024,” the spokesperson said. Ambulance Victoria said: “New branches are custom-built with the modern and safe facilities paramedics need to do their job and respond to life-threatening cases in the community. They also enhance safety for our paramedics with secure parking.”