Weather
WEDNESDAY min 10° max 19°
THURSDAY min 8° max 19°
FRIDAY min 7° max 19°
St. Arnaud, Charlton, Wedderburn & Surrounding Districts
Est. 1864
18 Napier Street, St. Arnaud. 3478. - Advertising & Editorial Material - Ph.: (03) 5495 1055; Fax.: (03) 5495 1937. Email: ncn@iinet.net.au Published weekly.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 30th 2025.
Registered by Australia Post, Publication No. VAC 4217.
$2.00
Circulating in:- St. Arnaud, Charlton, Donald, Rupanyup, Bealiba, Stawell, Marnoo, Navarre, Dunolly, Wycheproof, Wedderburn, Birchip, Korong Vale, Stuart Mill, Redbank, Avoca & Moonambel.
(Incl. GST)
Honouring our Veterans ST. ARNAUD honoured the service and sacrifice of veterans with a march and a wreath laying ceremony last Friday ANZAC Day. With a strong turnout of the young, the day will continue long after we are gone. (see pictures right). With services held all around the district, the numbers were high and the mood sombre.
Stuart Mill service Anzac Day at “The Mill” over the years has been known for its chance of rain, and this year was no different, in fact everyone was hoping for the forecasted downpour. The Stuart Mill crowd of sixty, was made up of visitors from Melbourne and also from St. Arnaud. Some who had attended the Anzac dawn Ser vice and then proceeded out to Stuart Mill for the 11am service. Brenda Box of the Stuart Mill CWA, lead the gathering with the reading of the Ode and the National Anthem.
Northern Grampians Shire Councillor Karen Probst laid a wreath at the Memorial in recognition of those that served from Stuart Mill and surrounding areas. While wearing the medals of his father Albert Medlyn, Rodney Medlyn had the honor of raising the flag,
before everyone was invited back to the Recreational Reserve for a BBQ lunch. Of the sixty in attendance there were many young children and teenagers. Bailie Douglas stood with his family proudly wearing the medals of his great-great grandfather. Stuart Mill CWA put on a sausage sizzle and homemade ANZAC biscuits for lunch to end the day.
Right: RSL President Bob Wooley presents a wreath on behalf of the RSL sub-branch of St. Arnaud Left: Bugler Peter Hamilton plays The Last Post at the St. Arnaud service
Ex-Service Grant recipients
Above: Brenda Box reading the Ode at the Stuart Mill ceremony. - PHOTO: S. Lloyd
Above: Tristain Douglas with his children Charlotte and Bailee (wearing the medals of his great-great Grandfather) at the Stuart Mill ceremony. - PHOTO: S. Lloyd
Member for Ripon, Martha Haylett announced the successful recipients of two grant programs funding local government, ex-ser vice organisations and community groups to upgrade their facilities and create welcoming, accessible places to commemorate and support Victoria’s veterans. “By preser ving memorials and upgrading veteran facilities, we’re helping future generations understand the legacy of service. These projects make sure the stories of our veterans live on, not just in memory, but in every community they helped shape” Ms Haylett said. The Veterans Capital Works 2024-25 grant program provided Ballarat RSL Sub-branch and Vasey RSL Care’s Geelong Veteran Renewal Initiative with grants to upgrade or develop facilities for veterans and their families. There were wins for veterans across Ripon with five RSL’s receiving funding including St Arnaud RSL to upgrade their lighting and Wedderburn RSL for facility improvements.
• Cont. on page 4.
Above: The St. Arnaud crowd mirrored the sombre and respectful mood that is ANZAC Day
Above: St. Arnaud Primary School were well represented when they laid their wreath. Below: St. Patricks Primary School were also showing respect and that ANZAC Day is becoming part of the culture of our young .
Stop press - Northern Grampians Shire Council withdraws from five-council alliance (Page 6)