Editorial Is this the dawning of the Anthropocene Age? Living in the Wimmera it is easy to forget the rest of the world, even more so if we do not catch up with the news, and it is easy to forget that our climate is changing. Even though we have been the subject of more floods the temperatures here have been not so extreme, however in Europe and the Americas things have been far more turbulent. This winter the sea ice around Antarctica is in rapid decline, with experts now concerned it may not recover. Sea ice lows in 2016, 2017 and 2022 have been followed this year with an all-time low around the icy continent. Usually, the ice has been able to recover in winter, when Antarctica is reliably dark and cold. Satellite data has indicated that this month land temperatures have reached 60°C in Spain, with tourists warned to stay off beaches throughout the Mediterranean. In North America people are living under extreme heat warnings with close to the hottest temperature even recorded on earth of 56°C in appropriately named Death Valley. The sea is little cooler, with Florida ocean temperatures well above 30°C. Further north on land, people are being rescued by dinghies and helicopters from suburban streets as heavy rain causes flooding across Pennsylvania and New York and into New England. Vermont has declared a state of emergency. Parts of the Midwest of US are on Tornado watch and other states in severe thunderstorm. Parts of Canada have been on fire for months A and conditions are similarly apocalyptic elsewhere with cars swirling down flooded streets in Japan and India and China roasting for weeks. F In Europe temperatures of 48°C are being experienced regularly and last year, over 60,000 E died there from heat with this year hotter. This June was the hottest ever recorded on Earth. July led with the hottest ever day, swiftly followed by a hotter hottest ever day, then the hottest week – and, possibly, the hottest month. What used to be normal has gone and this is now our new world many say. In the last eleven thousand years or so humans invented agriculture, built cities, and became what we would call essentially modern. Most of the history that we know all occurred during this stage and it was marked by a relatively predictable climate that was conducive to enable the growth of grains and the agriculture of the world to flourish. There are some scientific members of the C Anthropocene Working Group (AWG), who believe we are now at the beginning of a new age, the Anthropocene Age. These scientists have C selected Crawford Lake in Canada as the best site to mark this geological start and if their bid is successful, the International Union of Geological Sciences could officially and momentously declare the Anthropocene Age in August 2024. This will be an uncharted Age, say the AWG, brought about by human activities and characterised by global climate chaos and ecological degradation, If this new age occurs, will the Anthropocene Age D help to move us from denial, through to acceptance? Will it help us move through the depression over the scale of loss of wildlife, glaciers, lush landscapes and will more settled weather bring about something that will see us build a livable Anthropocene. Perhaps we have a better age to create. Who knows. North Central News is published weekly by Peter Marland, 3279 Charlton/St. Arnaud Road, Slaty Creek for NCNews Pty. Ltd., 18 Napier Street, St. Arnaud. A.C.N. 146 461 903. Printed by Western District Newspaper P/L, Camperdown Vic. Registered by Australia Post Publication No. VAC 4217 - Recommended and maximum selling price only.
To the Editor
PrePrep building decision Dear Editor, The NGS Council has recently approved the construction of a modular building to accommodate 3yr old Kinder and 4yr old Pre-Prep on the car park at Market Square. This decision was made in the interests of the parents and children who attend Long Day Care at the St. Arnaud Early Learning Centre. This decision marks the beginning of a major construction project in the heart of the town. Information published in the local newspaper and on the Northern Grampians Shire website shows the project will remove almost half of the present Market Square carpark and block the two-way traffic flow. Redesign and construction of the new carpark and replacement parking in adjoining streets, will require additional tree removal (heritage trees have not been Qld exempted), applying to 4217 move and moving the VTA bus stop, and new kerb, 1 800guttering 652 284 and pedestrian access walkways. The Victorian Schools Building Authority (VSBA) will fund the construction of the modular building and an associated 15 car park spaces. Council (rate payers) will fund the rest. At this stage, real costs have not been made public/determined. This decision means the loss of the amenity that the present Ted Whillier Market Square car park provides to the St Arnaud community Matt and its Trickey visitors. With consequent further loss of public use of the Market Square area as shown in the ‘public use’ overlay. This decision means the potential loss of an important part of St Arnaud’s aesthetic and heritage street scape. This decision was taken without enough consideration given to these consequences. According to the advice in the report given to Councillors, the ‘Community Consultation’ process yielded an inconclusive survey result. How many users, businesses and community organisations
Page 2 - NORTH CENTRAL NEWS, WEDNESDAY JULY 26th 2023.
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directly affected by We invite all the car park change concerned residents to were consulted or attend. made aware of the We encourage implications of the residents to visit the decision? Northern Grampians How many people Shire website to read are still unaware of the the advice given to details of this issue? Councillors prior to Has the Council them making the considered the interests of the whole St location decision. (see Arnaud community minutes of the before making this Unscheduled Council decision? meeting 22/05/2023 A small group of pp171 to 183). concerned residents Also to watch the organised a petition video of this same outlining the social, meeting, particularly heritage and environthe section relating mental implications to discussion of this /effects of the Council Qld (a link to decision. decision. 4217 The petition was A youtube is available on not widely circulated NGSC website.) 1 800 652 284 but did provide 27 We also remind F signatures. residents that Council This petition will be E motions can be rescinded. tabled and spoken to at Yours, the next NGS Council Deborah Jenkins meeting at 12.30 pm on St. Arnaud Monday 7th August 2023. Letters cont’d. pg 4.
St. Arnaud, Charlton & surrounding districts
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No. 10099
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ACROSS 1 Cold dish 5 Serpent 9 Labyrinth 10 Big 12 Happen 13 Jewelled coronet 14 Cult 15 Added clause 16 Yielded 18 Trees 20 Dry 21 Attendance 23 Of various kinds 27 Prescribed amount 29 Fewer 30 Camping equipment 31 Month 33 Agitate 34 Sheeplike 35 Unbending 36 Stories 37 Require 38 Colour 39 Divine character
DOWN 2 Bowman 3 Entertained 4 Ventured 5 Preferable 6 Danger signals 7 Small nail 8 Respites granted 11 Get up 16 Waterfalls 17 Excavates 19 Heavy substance 21 Light blows 22 Midday 24 Oily fruit 25 Enjoy 26 Ancient Jewish ascetic 27 Mock 28 Rigorously enforced 30 Weary 32 Acting part
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