UNBREAKABLE
PEOPLE from country communities will be drawn to the historic Logan Hotel on Friday for a night building rural resilience.
Mr Bales said the free community event, with the support of Agriculture Victoria’s Drought Support Package, promised to be a relaxed and enjoyable evening with something for all ages.
Warren Davies, The Unbreak-
Night will bring rural communities together
able Farmer, will share his inspirational story of resilience, while local experts will be on hand with practical tips, grant advice, and wellbeing support.
“There will be plenty of chances to catch up with friends and neighbours over finger food and
bar refreshments, while connecting with support services including East Wimmera Health Service, Inglewood and Districts Health Service and the Rural Financial Counselling Service,” Mr Bales said.
A free bus wll run from
St. Arnaud Town Hall to Logan, provided by Bruce Hando and O’Connors St. Arnaud. Mr Bales said bookings were essential.
“The evening is all about fun, connection and community spirit,” he said.
“It’s a chance to step away from the farm, bring the family along, hear from an inspiring guest, and most importantly enjoy time together. There’s been great interest already and a big turnout is expected.”
Singin’ in the rain! Sam hits his target
SAM Moir used two New Zealand songs for motivation when he took to St Arnaud streets battling wind and rain on Friday.
The local gardener ran 22km raising money for the Fred Hollows Foundation.
“We hit my goal and surpassed $2000 to which I am very grateful,” he said of the run where donations came with song requests for Sam to sing.
Don’t Forget Your Roots was on the playlist after Kiwi friends added to the fundraising total while Sam’s youngsters enjoyed The Wonky Donkey Dong, another hilarious Kiwi song.
“Some of the kids joined part way through for a couple kilometres and we sung some songs and had some fun.
“If I had the energy levels of my kids I’d be running a 50km ultra marathons I think.”
Although no plans for a longer distance next year, Sam said he had progressed to being able to tackle 22km within a few years.
“We all knew what the weather was going to be like last week ... and how it actually turned out on Friday,” Sam said.
“I knew what I was in for and had written off the idea of staying dry. Got rained on three times and had to run through the puddles in order to not get hit by cars running back up Bendigo road. “But I had a blast and it was a really good run.”
“A big thankyou and shout out to everyone who supported. It will make a difference to a lot of people.”
Richard Bales, Maddison Hendy, Keith Turner, Rosie Camilleri and Stacey McDonald prepare for Friday’s gathering at Logan
NCN HERALD
EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING
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Life-saving program funded in region
THE Grampians-Wimmera region will have easier access to life-saving pharmacotherapy support with the roll out of a new program.
Grampians Community Health is one of 15 services to receive funding from the Victorian Government’s Community Health Pharmacotherapy Grants program.
The three-year funding is to establish a new prescribing service to increase pharmacotherapy accessibility for vulnerable groups and those experiencing geographic barriers to care, and to provide more support for existing prescribers and dispensers. Project leader and GCH alcohol
and other drug worker Emma Mackley is becoming a nurse practitioner and will be able to prescribe opioid replacement therapies.
Ms Mackley, who has worked in various AOD roles for the past 12 years, said the Pennington Institute 2025 Overdose Snapshot reports that opioids were the most common drug involved in unintentional deaths, contributing to almost half (43.9%) of all unintentional drug-induced deaths. “More people die from overdoses every year than on our roads, but it doesn’t get the same attention,” she said. “We know that opioid replacement therapy is a proven
treatment for opioid use disorder but being able to access this therapy in our region can be a limiting factor.
Ms Mackley will support current prescribers and dispensing pharmacies. “We recognise that in regional areas our GPs are often over-burdened servicing large communities, so having extra support will be beneficial.
Ms Mackley also hopes to break down stigma in the community. “I want to help reduce the stigma, breaking down the barriers to treatment for people who use drugs, allowing them to feel supported and have access to quality healthcare within the region.”
IN BRIEF
Words of a butterfly BUTTERFLIES are enchanting, beautiful and delicate and winners of St Arnaud library’s literary competition will be flying when they are announced tomorrow evening. Butterflies have been the theme of this year’s writing competition, the second sponsored by Friends of the Library to showcase the creative literary talents of the community. Winners of the competition will be annouced at 5pm in the the community meeting room, selected by literary experts Jane Grant and Calvin Taylor from more than 90 entries.
Tradie experience
NORTH CENTRAL Trades and Training Centre at Charlton has hosted more than 100 students from regional schools as part of its Year 8 orientation program. Students from Boort District School, Charlton College, Donald High School, Pyramid Hill College, St. Arnaud Secondary College, Wedderburn College and Wycheproof P12 College were part of the orientation.
Teacher tribute ST ARNAUD Secondary College has paid tribute to former teacher Bernie Segger who passed away last month. He held appointments at St Arnaud and North Central Trade Training Centre until retiring at the end of last year.
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Tristain Douglas: 0458 087 619 / tristain@driscollag.com.au
NORTH Central Garden Club members have donated $800 towards beautification projects and in Charlton and Wycheproof. Seven active members of the Charlton-based club are from Wycheproof where flower beds have been prepared and plants shrubs planted at the former Wycheproof court house for the town’s historical society.
Access power plays
FARMERS from the St Arnaud district were protesting the State Government’s latest renewable energy project laws within hours of being passed in State Parliament.
They were on the frontline of a calvalcade of tractors and fire trucks when Premier Jacinta Allan fronted a national bush summit on Friday.
Late Thursday night, the Government had the support of the Greens, Animal Justice Party and Legalise Cannibis Party to pass legislation allowing renewable energy transmission project companies to enter private land.
The Government did a partial backdown on the severity of fines under the new laws. While landowners had risked penalties
of more than $12,000 if they refused access, that figure will now be just above $8000.
But Victorian Farmers’ Federation president Brett Hosking has warned that the VicGrid Bill granted sweeping powers to the Government while doing little to protect farmers and regional communities.
Mr Hosking said the legislation risked further eroding trust at a time when cooperation is desperately needed to deliver the energy transition.
“This Bill hands VicGrid coercive powers over landholders, while ignoring the need for genuine engagement, fair compensation and investment in rural communities. “Farmers aren’t standing in the way of renewa-
Volunteer firies gear up for emergency tax protest
PROTEST-hardened CFA volunteers from the region have the home city of Premier Jacinta Allan as their next target for protests against the Government’s new emergency services tax.
District volunteers told NCN Herald at the weekend they would be part of CFA Volunteers’ Group rally on September 14. It will be the second rally in Bendigo since the Government confirmed it would hit landowners with the tax that for some will be double the former fire services’ levy. Farmers had faced a
150 per cent hike from July 1 but the Government deferred that increase for 12 months.
Rally organisers say that under the new tax, CFA funding for 2025-2026 is cut by $41.9 million.
Certainly not an increase like the Premier claims. You can be assured that this new tax on volunteers will find its way to the debt black hole of mismanagement. The end result for us at brigade level, is of course not a surprise ! Less funding support and keep your old tanker,” they said.
bles, but we refuse to be trampled over in the process. Right now, the legislation locks in a system where rural Victoria carries the burden, while the benefits are shipped off elsewhere,” Mr Hosking said.
Mr Hosking said amendments to the Bill which halve some of the fines will do little to calm community sentiment.
“The reduction in fines is cold comfort given they never should have been part of this Bill in the first place,” Mr Hosking said.
Mr Hosking noted that MPs from across the political spectrum admitted during debate that transmission engagement to date has failed communities. “When politicians from all sides agree engagement has been a failure, it
shows just how badly the process has gone off track. The government cannot ignore that warning, it must reset and rebuild trust before any more projects proceed,”
Mr Hosking said.
The VFF has repeatedly warned that without reform, Victoria risks repeating the failures of past transmission projects such as the Western Renewables Link, which has lost the trust of local communities.
St Arnaud branch of the VFF last month reiterated opposition to the Government’s land access laws while local opponent of the controversial VNI West renewable transmission line project Gerald Feeny told NCN Herald that protests against the Governments plans would continue.
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Police thanks ST ARNAUD police have thanked the community for its support after two officers were slain at Porepunkah in Victoria’s north-east last week. They said they had been overwhelmed with “outpourings of support and appreciation from the local community and our fellow emergency services”. Police said: “To say it is a difficult time is an understatement, and we are all heartbroken. We are committed to making our community safe for all of you, and we cannot say thank you enough for thinking of our Blue family.”
Rate notices arrive
NORTHERN Grampians ratepayers have started receiving their rate bills that highlight the State Government’s new emergency services tax. Council said: “A reminder for our farming community the ESVF applies to all ratepayers across the state, however the rate for farmers is fixed for the next 12 months at the same rate you paid in the 2024-2025 financial year under the previous Fire Services Property Levy. This does not mean the amount you pay won’t increase, it means the rate used to calculate the levy won’t increase.”
Wet finish
MORE than 20mm of rain has been recorded in the past week. The August total was 39.6mm.
Firies protesting outside Premier Allan’s Bendigo office in May. NCN PHOTO
Northern Grampians Shire Council
COMMUNITY UPDATES
MUNICIPALITY OPEN FOR INVESTMENT
Northern Grampians Shire Council leaders are thrilled a new hotel projected to inject $150 million into the region’s economy throughout the next decade has been greenlit following months of collaboration between the organisation and developers. The $16 million LOAM Hotel will be built along the Western Highway, Stawell. Mayor Karen Hyslop said facilitating economic development was a key role of council a nd anyone seeking to invest in the municipality could contact the organisation about available support. You can read more in the ‘latest news’ section of our website.
LAST CHANCE FOR ROAD PLAN FEEDBACK
Council’s draft 2025-29 Road Management Plan is open for public feedback until 11.59pm on Sunday, September 14, 2025. Feedback can be made online or in writing. A copy of the draft plan, along with information about how to provide feedback, is available on our website (via a banner on the home page).
TIME TO PREPARE YOUR PROPERTY
Are you ready for the upcoming fire season? With spring underway, our Emergency Management team is encouraging Northern Grampians Shire residents to start preparing for the season ahead. Everyone in Victoria who lives near dense forest, bus h, grassland or the coast needs to prepare their property for bushfire - and now is a perfect time to start.
In the next week or so, why not think about cleaning out your gutters, trimming trees close to your property, cutting tall grass around your house, or burning-off piles of debris?
You could also consider positioning sprinklers around your yard (remembering that during an emergency we also need to retain water sources for firefighting personnel).
You can visit the CFA website, www.cfa.vic.gov.au/planprepare/how-to-prepare-your-property for more information about how to ensure you are ready for the upcoming summer season, including a detailed ‘Your Guide to Property Preparation’ brochure. We encourage you to keep an eye on our social media over the next few months for more information about being ‘fire ready’ and to learn more about council's annual property inspections.
Unscheduled council meeting: Monday, September 15 in the Council Chamber, Pleasant Creek Historic Precinct, Stawell, at 12.30pm. The purpose of the meeting is to consider: Preparation of the Annual Report 2024-25, Audit and Risk Committee
Biannual Activity Report, Delegations and Authorisations Update, Grampians Health Community Advisory Committee Representative, C25 003 External Plant and Equipment Hire for Civil Works, and C25 006 Plant Replacement Program. The meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed via our YouTube channel. The agenda will be available on our website. Scheduled council meeting: The next scheduled council meeting is on Monday, October 6 in the Perry Room, St Arnaud Town Hall, St Arnaud, at 12.30pm.
Girls can campaign keeps the lights on
SPORTING facilities in Stawell and St Arnaud will remain lit up on Monday nights – and now Wednesday mornings – following the success of the inaugural Northern Gramps Girls Can campaign.
The lights will be on at Lord Nelson Park oval in St Arnaud and North Park athletics track in Stawell on Monday nights between 6pm and 7.30pm and on Wednesday mornings from 6am until sunrise.
Northern Grampians Mayor Karen Hyslop said due to positive feedback, the council had decided to extend the outdoor lighting program until daylight saving time starting on October 5.
The venues have been lit up on Monday nights since the end of May as part of the Northern Gramps Girls Can campaign, which ran until July 16.
Council created the campaign, which was modelled on state health foundation VicHealth’s This Girl Can campaign, in partnership with Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly.
Along with the outdoor lights program, the campaign also included a range of activities throughout the shire that attempted to remove barriers preventing women and girls from being physically active.
“The decision to extend the lights beyond the eight weeks of the original campaign followed positive feedback from the community,” Cr Hyslop said.
“Not only did residents want to see the lights extended, some also requested a morning session to help cater for their shift work schedules.
“We hope having a morning and evening option will cater for more families, shift workers, and people preparing for sporting finals or wanting to remain active in the off-season.
“Despite the lighting program initially catering for women and girls, it is a fantastic opportunity for anyone in the community wanting to be active in a safe and welcoming space.”
Cr Hyslop thanked Stawell and St Arnaud police officers for supporting the Northern Gramps Girls Can campaign with an increased presence.
She said she was pleased to see so many women and girls taking up the various opportunities made available to them throughout the campaign.
“More than 25 girls attended free Wednesday afternoon gym sessions at Stawell Sports and Aquatic Centre, including several girls who game from outside our shire to participate,” Cr Hyslop said.
“A lot of these girls had not stepped foot inside a gym before because they didn’t feel confident or capable. They said they were unsure about how to properly and safely use the gym equipment and would have felt uncomfortable around male members.
“Feedback on these sessions
was great. The girls said they thoroughly enjoyed the classes, which were well-run by excellent instructors.
“We’ve loved hearing that so many girls felt safe and supported and appreciated the campaign.”
Friends explore grief, healing
ACADEMY Award nominees Naomi Watts and Bill Murray lead the cast of this weekend’s movie The Friend at Charlton’s Rex Theatre.
In a story which explores love, friendship, grief and healing. New York City writer Iris (Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor Walter (Bill Murray) bequeaths her a Great Dane named Apollo. After Walter’s current wife, two ex-wives and his adult daughter refuse to take the dog, Iris has to contend with the new arrival.
The huge 70kg dog immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with Apollo, she begins to come to terms with her past, and her own creative inner life.
Breakfast 8:00 Welcome 9:00 Soil pit 9:10
9:30
Cereal varieties: top performers and ones to watch GRDC NVT
Anna Marcus, Ashlee Tierney (BCG) R Black
10:30
Disease management: past experience, future technology
BioScout Disease Trials
Dr Grant Hollaway (Astute Ag), Amy McEachern (BCG) R
11:30
What’s new in pulses: variety updates & agronomy insights
GRDC Southern Pulse Agronomy
Ash Wallace, Audrey Delahunty (Agriculture Victoria)
with the Weir family 1:30
Organisers gave away a onemonth Stawell Sports and Aquatic Centre membership to the person who attended the most gym sessions, which was won by Sophie Buijs.
Cr Hyslop said the SSAC team would look at the possibility of running female-only gym, swim and stadium times to encourage women and girls to remain physically active across different disciplines.
Farming without paraquat: a look at group 14s, glufosinate, new chemistry & blue light technology
Chris Preston (University of Adelaide), Angus Butterfield (BCG)
Protecting pulse yields: disease and soil strategies for lentils & chickpeas
GRDC Southern Pulse Agronomy 10:30
Ash Wallace, Audrey Delahunty (Agriculture Victoria)
9:30
Emerging pulse opportunities: Plant protein & metribuzin-tolerant lentils
GRDC Southern Pulse Agronomy
Ash Wallace, Audrey Delahunty (Agriculture Victoria)
10:30
From patchy starts to harvest: later-season management options
GRDC Long Coleoptile
GRDC Canola Establishment
Lucy Giles (BCG), Dr Andrew Fletcher, Dr Greg Rebetzke (CSIRO)
As both Iris and Apollo process their respective changes, Iris sees the situation evolving into an “emotional support human working with a dog that can’t cope”. Thanks to Apollo’s imposing presence Iris’s life is gradually reinvigorated - both creatively and otherwise – and she is able to process questions about Walter’s decision to commit suicide. As the ABC review by Jasmin Jeffery says: “The film goes to great lengths to consider the impact suicide has on the people left behind.”
Disease management: past experience, future technology BioScout Disease Trials R Dr Grant Hollaway (Astute Ag), Amy McEachern (BCG)
10:30
From paddock to market: cereal hay for dairy and export AgriFutures Oaten Hay Trial
Alison Frischke (BCG), Marcus Crawford (Balco), Matt Glowery (farmer)
Cereal varieties: top performers and ones to watch GRDC NVT 11:30
Anna Marcus, Ashlee Tierney (BCG) R
A nitrogen check up, Professor James Hunt (University of Melbourne) 1:45
Emissions accounting - What should I know? Cam Nicholson (farmer & Nicon Rural) 2:10
Farmer panel: Making decisions in the 2025 season, Dr Yolanda Plowman
Farming without paraquat: a look at group 14s, glufosinate, new chemistry & blue light technology 11:30
Chris Preston (University of Adelaide), Angus Butterfield (BCG)
11:30
Make more from sheep: realising benefits from sheep eIDs
Alison Frischke, Zoe Wilson (BCG), BreedElite, Joel Donnan (farmer), Cam Nicholson (farmer)
Sophie Buijs has been among Northern Grampians women participating in the Girls Can campaign
Sale season has good start
A TOP price of $5500 was paid twice at the district’s first stud Merino ram auction of the season last Thursday.
Volume buyers SM and LH Reading, of Callawadda, and Brooklands Merinos, of Tasmania, top the auction at Paul Hendy’s Belbourie Stud at Marnoo.
The auction averaged $2130 with 61 of 76 lots sold under the hammer.
The Readings were equal in the top price on a ram with Belbourie and Kamoora Park genetics and data including a 99.7 comfort factor. They bought nine rams at the sale.
Brooklyn Merino’s major paid the same price four lots later in the auction for the ram from a Ridgeway Advance sire, also with a 99.7 comfort factor. It was the only purchase of the sale.
Other volume buyers included Ian Hodgson, Brett Monoghan, Aminya Farms and Bibby Farms.
Two other rams sold for $5000 while sale prices ranged upwards of $1000.
Mr Hendy said it was the first time for several years that the Tasmanian stud of David Nicholas had purchased a Belbourie ram.
“Their sheep classer was at the Victorian State Merino Field Day in Marnoo just before our sale and selected the ram as one to bid on,” he said.
Mr Hendy said he was pleased with the prices and clearance rate achieved in the district’s opening sale of the on-property ram auction season.
WOOL REPORT
THE Australian wool market has continued to strengthen, recording a sixth consecutive weekly rise.
Being the sixth selling series of the new season, also means the market has continued its run of positive results for the 20252026 wool selling season.
Wet conditions have slowed shearing in many parts of the country, dampening wool receivals. This has played a part in sharp drop in quantity. The benchmark Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) rose by 7 cents on the opening day, then added another 7 on the second. This extended the run of daily EMI rises to ten, adding 53 cents across this run.
Twelve months ago, the EMI was 1,087 cents, the 14 cents added across this series pushed the EMI to 1,261 cents. This is a 174 cent or 16.0% twelve-month increase. In further welcome news, the rises were not entirely driven by currency. The EMI also rose in USD terms, more in fact (in percentage terms), gaining 14 cents for the series, closing at 818 cents.
The crossbreds have been the
strongest performing sector over the previous few months and continued their upward trend.
The standout has been 28-micron range. In the South twelve months ago, the 28.0 MPG was 375 cents, the 11cents gained this week pushed the MPG to 528 cents. This is a 153-cent yearly rise, an increase of 40.8%. The next best is the 30.0 MPG, closing at 450 cents after a weekly increase, this is a 112-cent gain, an increase of 24.9%.
In the merinos, it is the 21.0 MPG which has had the strongest 12 months, posting a 219 cent, 17.5% rise. In contrast, the weakest performing MPG was 17.0 micron, adding 114 cents or 7.0% in the previous 12 months.
There is currently expected to be national offering of 29,743 bales this week. Glendon Hancock
Alternative to using paraquat
WITH paraquat under review by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, farmers across north-west Victoria face uncertainty about the future of one of their most reliedupon weed control tools.
The question of what happens to weed management if paraquat use is restricted or banned will be addressed at next Wednesday’s Birchip Cropping Group Main Field Day. .Angus Butterfield and Professor Chris Preston will present the session Farming without paraquat: A look at Group 14s, glufosinate and new technologies.
Paul Hendy and Elders’ Kevin Beaten with the equal top price ram headed for Western Australia
1Floor covering
5Love god
8Thespian 10Storehouses
13Washes lightly 15Separation from others
16Erudition
17Works into a fabric
20Used up
22Was shifty
23Close friend
24Musical dramas
27Precipitous
30Dealer
31Line between abutting edges
32Contending for a prize
34Christmas decoration
36Combines
37Show contempt
38White heron
39Nullify
No 8573
100 years ago
August 28-September 3
Rain during August 86 points, making a total of 12 ins 38 p so far this year
Cr Charles Gardner has been reelected Mayor of St Arnaud for the second time in succession having also served as Mayor in 1920-21. Cr Burge elected as the Kara Kara Shire President.
The annual hospital wood chop took place at the Royal Reserve two miles from St Arnaud where Forrest Officer H Higgins marked the trees to be left standing. Trees were cut into lengths and carted to the hospital ground ready to be sawn up at the hospital wood bee in October and the ladies provided dinner and afternoon tea for the 158 workers.
Mr James Langdon died age 81 at Gre Gre where he farmed for over fifty years. He was married twice and leaves five children.
100 YEARS AGO
August 29-Septembr 2 1925
Kara Kara Junior Football As soc – Kooreh 11 - 7 defeat St Arnaud Rovers 8-8 Goals kicked for Kooreh by R Moore x 5, C Moore 3, H Evans, V Macey & W Rodger one each and for St Arnaud Rovers Zeuschner x 3, R Sheales x 2, Coleman, Cregan and Robinson one each.
The football grand final between Barkly and Redbank was held at Moonambel in front of a large crowd with Barkly 7-8 defeating Redbank 6-9.
The Gooroc sports was held in Mr P McKew’s homestead paddock where timber marquees had been erected, with the horse events tak-
ing place in the adjoining paddock, followed by a ball at night in St Bernard’s Hall. The day was so successful the debt on the hall and the piano was considerably reduced and it was decided to make it an annual event.
St Arnaud State School 6th grade assistant Miss H Murray for the past six years has been transferred to Ararat. The staff and students presented her with a writing case, the Presbyterian Sunday School children gave her a book of poems and the Girl Guides gave her a glove box. Contractors for renewing two miles of the Mt Teddington pipeline have commenced work.
DOWN 2Matures 3Lengthened out 4Sample 5Invented 6Rounded vase 7Prescribed amounts 9Plastering tool 10Immerses 11Earth’s axis extremity 12Pastry dish 14Rescue 18Stirring violently 19Border 21Needy 22Possesses 23Conditional release 25Chess piece 26Of late origin 27Observed 28Send out 29Laundry items 30Tenth part 31Reject with disdain 33That following 35Compass point (init)
ACROSS 1Carpet 5Cupid 8Actor 10Depots 13Rinses 15Isolation 16Lore 17Weaves 20Spent 22Hedged 23Pal 24Operas 27Steep 30Trader 31Seam 32Competing 34Tinsel 36Unites 37Sneer 38Egret 39Negate
Ex-Charltonite wins: Mr W.T. Glasheen, brother of Mr P. Glasheen has been elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council. He is a farmer of Harrissmith. The new member is a comparatively young man, and was born and educated at Charlton. He has had a wide and varied experience, becoming associated with the Primary Producers’ Association about 12 years ago. At present he is secretary of the Harrissmith branch of the association, and chairman and founder of Yilliminning Kondinin Co-operative Company, W.A. He is very well known in the Lake Marmal district.
Bowling Club: The Bowling Club met in the Mechanics’ Hall to elect the office holders for the coming season. Those elected are:- President, F. Edwards; Vice-presidents, S. Woods and A. Dabron; Secretary, B. Raynor; Treasurer, J. W.
DOWN 2Ages 3Prolonged 4Taste 5Coined 6Urn 7Doses 9Trowel 10Dips 11Pole 12Tart 14Save 18Agitating 19Edge 21Poor 22Has 23Parole 25Pawn 26Recent 27Seen 28Emit 29Pegs 30Tithe 31Spurn 33Next 35SSE
Morris; Committee, G. Day, P. Spain, C. Proctor, W. A. McGuffie, W. Biggs; Auditor, B. Wood (Vic Bank); Green Committee, G. Day, E. Tormey, C. Proctor, A. H. Grove and W. A. McGuiffie. A hearty vote of thanks to the retiring President, Mr G. Day, was given.
Shire Council Meeting: At the Council Meeting Cr P. Rogan was elected President for the ensuing year. Before the election it was moved that the president’s allowance be increased to £80 for this year on account of the many extra expenses to be met, such as the new bridge, for one. The new President, Cr Rogan, moved a hearty vote of thanks to the expresident for the most efficient manner in which he carried out his duties during the past year. He thanked the Council for the honor they had accorded him in electing him President. He
felt sure that he would have the co-operation of councillors and officers in all matters.
Picture Framing: Mr Chas Smith, painter, paper-hanger, decorator and picture framer, has secured one of the latest picture framing machines. He also has a large variety of picture mouldings and mounts in stock. He wishes to notify the public that he has in stock lead, oils, paints, varnishes, wall paper, glass and all other painting requisites. He will be pleased to quote for plates glass or mirrors, plain or bevelled.
Electric Supply: Charlton has advanced with the times and so extensive additions to the existing power plant have become imperative. Additions to the plant costing £1500 are being carried out.
The excavating of earth for, and the laying down of the foundation for the new engine and dynamo is well in hand, and over 50 tons of concrete will be used.
Solution No. 8573
Sharing content without consent
If Meta was a miner we’d shut them down, writes Damian Morgan
I’M OFTEN asked why Meta (owners of Facebook) should be forced to pay compensation to news publishers.
It’s a fair question.
On the surface, Facebook can be seen as a media disruptor, like Uber upending the taxi industry, or cars replacing horse and cart.
It’s easy to think social media is just the “new and improved” media.
But Facebook isn’t a modern version of traditional media at all - it’s an entirely different thing.
The core business of traditional media is producing content - primarily news and entertainment. We are a product business.
Facebook doesn’t produce any content.
Zero.
Its business model is to “share” other people’s content - without paying for it.
This has never been done at scale before.
In the early days, many of us curated our Facebook feeds to include trusted news sources. That made the platform more important to us, more credible, and far more valuable.
Credible journalism gave Facebook enormous legitimacy. It made the feed worth coming back to - and helped Facebook build its empire.
Credit where due - Facebook was a brilliant pioneer of the internet, effectively inventing social media and colonising the World Wide Web. It offered everything for free - until we relied on it.
Then they cashed in - creating one of the most powerful and profitable corporations in history.
But like all new boom industries, social media’s race to dominate the internet has left regulation in the starter’s blocks.
There were no guardrails to protect people and organisations
from the consequences of its domination.
No recourse for scams or misinformation.
No regard for the mental health of teenagers.
No thought for the destruction of regional news services.
The benefits of social media are clear. But the full extent of the harms caused by Facebook - and the copycat platforms that followed - are still not fully understood, let alone addressed.
Facebook’s real “product” is you.
Your attention is what they sell. And they’ll serve up almost anything to keep it - along with your personal data - to advertisers, based on what you read, watch, click, and where you go online.
Now, with Meta glasses, they’re even tracking what you see and say every day. The potential for harm is staggering.
While Facebook deserves credit for innovation, its refusal to engage with regulation is contemptible.
Google has behaved differently. Its core product – search - is also vastly more valuable when it includes journalism from credible sources. For example, when you search for updates on a local bushfire or the war in Ukraine, those results are far more valuable when they include stories from trained journalists at credible news organisations.
Without trusted journalism in the mix, Google’s search results would be less relevant, less useful - and far less valuable.
That’s why Google agreed to pay Australian news publishers after the introduction of the world-first News Media Bargaining Code in 2021.
Facebook initially complied. Then they walked away. They are now openly defying the Australian government and refusing to pay for the journalism that helped
build their empire and continues to drive their profits.
The Albanese Government is responding with the News Bargaining Incentive to force them to the table. So far, Facebook has responded with silence and contempt.
Let’s put this into perspective as the government stands up to the bullying tactics of Meta.
Imagine for a moment that Meta was a mining company.
It’s not a perfect analogy, but it’s a useful one.
Mining companies don’t own the resources they extract - so they pay royalties because those resources belong to the people.
Facebook doesn’t own the internet or the content it extracts - yet it refuses to pay anyone, anything.
Mining companies impact the environment, so they pay taxes, levies, and offsets.
Facebook has damaged the information environment massively - spreading scams, misinformation, and harmful content - yet takes no responsibility.
Mining is dangerous, so companies are required to invest in safety, education, and emergency services.
Facebook profits from dangerous content that fuels our mental health crisis - yet contributes nothing to public well-being.
Mining companies affect the communities where mines are located, so they invest in those communities as part of their social licence to operate.
Facebook has pillaged and damaged local news in regional Australia. Now it refuses to pay for the journalism it profits from.
If Facebook were a mining company, we wouldn’t let them get away with it.
We’d shut them down.
Damian Morgan is president of Country Press Australia
Every purchase matters
FOOTBALL, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars. Are you old enough to remember the ads? I can remember the jingle but not whether it was advertising a brand of meat pies or Holden cars!
Anyway, it was a sad day when Holden stopped production in Australia, even sadder when Holden production stopped totally.
I wonder about our hypocrisy sometimes; we want to be paid an Aussie wage, but we can be reluctant to buy products that pay workers that same Aussie wage.
We often hear the quote, ‘Use it or lose it’. We can relate it to our muscles, keep moving to reduce the risk of falls; to our brains, do crosswords to keep our brains active; to our creativity, keep painting, drawing, singing, playing music; even to our emotional health, keep trying new things, challenge ourselves, manage stress, keep our mental health strong.
So, did our reluctance to pay for Aussie wages contribute to the demise of manufacturing in Australia? Have we been enticed by the excitement of having more new things? Is having more things filling a void in our lives? That’s a conversation for another day! Has the abundance of cheap, overseas products sucked us in? How many of us have spun the wheel on that new app that I don’t want to name to ‘win’ ‘free’ products? Okay, so we might use what we bought, but did we really need it?
“Use it or lose it.” Our main streets, and retail generally throughout the whole country,
By Cr KAREN PROBST
are struggling. Maybe Covid contributed – we got used to online activity and shopping when we had limited ability to leave our homes. The cost-of-living crisis doesn’t help and puts extra pressure on balancing the household budget. The range of products available online is seductive and advertisers know how to lure us. But what can we do? It is so very easy to feel disheartened and give up. I know I often feel like that. The problems of the world, the stresses of current society, they just seem too immense and the answers too hard to figure out.
The little things we do every day can, and do, have big impact. Like the butterfly effect, every purchase matters. Every time we choose local, we create ripples that support our communities and protect them from the influence and control of the large chains.
Margaret Mead is attributed as saying: “Never doubt the ability of a small group of dedicated people to change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” I love living in my country town. I love chatting to people down the street, to the shop owners. I love that I’m not in an impersonal suburban sprawl where people don’t know their neighbours and spend hours travelling to and from work. Let’s do what we can, in our own small ways, to keep the heart of our communities alive. RIP Holden.
Cr Probst is a Kara Kara Ward councillor for Northern Grampians Shire
EMPLOYMENT PUBLIC NOTICE
JOB VACANCIES
Campus Base Negotiable
Planned Activity Group Assistant
Charlton
Junior Food and Domestic Service
Assistant
Planned Activity Group Assistant
St Arnaud
Acting Campus Manager Nurse Unit Manager
Associate Nurse Unit Manager
Endorsed Enrolled Nurse
Registered Nurse
Wycheproof Nurse Unit Manager
Associate Nurse Unit Manager
Planned Activity Group Coordinator
Further information available at: https://ewhs.org.au/careers
EWHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome applications to all positions from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, LGBTQI+ People, and People of All Abilities.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.
Goodwin Village operates a 38 place residential aged care facility, has 35 independent retirement living units, and 6 community care clients.
1) Personal Care Worker Certificate 3 or 4 16 to 38 hours per week (full or part-time) Goodwin Village currently has a position for a Personal Care Worker Cert 3 or 4 (full or parttime). The position involves being rostered approximately 2 to 5 days per week. Roster includes weekdays, weekends, mornings, evenings & night shifts. Access to training for Certificate 3 or 4 in Individual Support can be provided to the right unqualified applicant at no cost to them. Progression pathway for committed staff.
Key Selection Criteria.
Applicants need to be reliable and interested in working in aged care, with an ability to work to established duty lists. Meeting all individual care needs of residents and clients is important. Applicants must have empathy for elderly people, a commitment to continuous improvement, and an ability to work in a team environment.
Applications for the positions must be made in writing by 5.00 pm, Friday September 12th, 2025.
Further particulars, including the position descriptions for the role, are available from the Chief Executive Officer, Goodwin Village, 22 Camp Street, Donald, Telephone: 5497 1304 Facsimile: 5497 1769. email: ahogan@goodwinagedcare.org.au
Anthony Hogan, Chief Executive Officer.
Lions Club of St. Arnaud
Paper Collection
Sunday, 7th September, 2025
Please leave newspapers on nature strip by 9am
MEETINGS
St. Arnaud Historical Society AGM
Wednesday 10th September @ 2pm Museum Rooms
Stuart Mill Community Reserves Committee AGM
10th September 2025 @ 7:00pm at the Stuart Mill Community Hall.
St Arnaud & District Orchid Society Inc. Meeting
Sunday 14th September 1.00pm for 1.30pm Start Senior Citizens Club 1A Golden Street, St Arnaud Visitors Welcome Speaker: John Welsh
WHAT’S ON
150 Years Celebration
St Arnaud Citizens Band
Keeping Music alive in the Wimmera Past players are invited to join the Band celebrate 150 years of Brass Banding in St Arnaud.
Concert
Saturday 18th October 2025 7:30pm St Arnaud Town Hall
Showcasing the Band and Community groups
WHAT’S ON WANTED
-
WANTED
Mower, Gardener, Handyman. Phone: 5495 2842
AT YOUR SERVICE
SELF STORAGE
TERM
STORAGE AVAILABLE
Hayley: 0409 337 276, Luke: 0458 885 266
Nicola Kirk Physiotherapist
Over 17 years experience
Open Mon to Fri
63 Napier Street, St. Arnaud 0400 451 432 or 5495 1108
Solicitor
116 Napier St., St. Arnaud
Practical, experienced advice in plain English
Appointments also available in Charlton, Donald & Wycheproof Ph: 5495 2595
Karen@klp.net.au
SPRING OPEN HOURS
TUE - FRI 9AM - 4.30PM SAT- SUN 10AM - 2PM
AT YOUR SERVICE
Top of the Town Beauty Salon
For all your hair and beauty needs
Ph: 5495 1306
~ Open ~ Monday to Friday
Colours, Perms, Unisex Cuts, Waxing, Teeth Whitening, Brow Wax & Tinting, Tanning etc..
110 Napier St., St. Arnaud
DEATH NOTICES
WOOD (Brown)
- Margaret Muriel (June) 14/06/1932 - 30/08/2025
Passed away suddenly at Coates Hostel, aged 93 years.
Dearly loved daughter of William and Rita Brown (both dec) of Seymour and loved sister of Joan (dec). Devoted wife of Alan (dec) for 67 years. Dearly loved mother and mother-in-law of Jeffrey and Alex, Susan and Lyndon and David (dec). Adoring Nanny of Alex, Cecilia, Sam and Jordan. Loving Great Nanny of Ellis, Aubrey, Paddy, Elsie and Reilly.
Reunited with Dad and David. xxx I love you Mum. The night before your soul set sail, you came to me in a dream, cooking a steam pudding, plain but sweet. Now you are with Dad again, I suppose you are already on the road again.
Jeffrey. xx
Mum, you always had a big smile, a lipsticky kiss and a kind word for everyone. Your love of family, friends and helping others was your greatest joy and your amazing Ginger Fluffs will forever remain the stuff of legend. Rest now, our beautiful Phoenix. You were so loved. We are beyond grateful for the incredible care that Mum received during her 3 years at Coates Hostel. To Jane and all of the staff there, thank-you so much. You were as much her family as we were. Susan. xx
WOOD (Brown)
- Margaret Muriel (June) In MEMORY OF
MARGARET MURIEL JUNE WOOD
Our Nannie, our June Buggy, our Phoenix. Thank you for a lifetime of unconditional love. We love you too.
You will live forever in our hearts and in your incredible homemade sauce recipe, perfected over the years by yourself and Susie and undoubtedly the best sauce in existence.
On family sauce day when we smell the delicious aroma of tomatoes, onions and those spices, we know you will be there too, peering into your old pot and guiding our spoon.
Until then Junie...
With love from your grandchildren Sam and Megan, Jordie and Katie and your great grandchildren Ellis, Aubrey, Paddy, Elsie and Reilly.
WOOD
A celebration of life for June will be held at the Uniting Church St Arnaud on Sept. 5th, 2025 at 11.00 am. The cortege will then leave for the St Arnaud Lawn Cemetery.
Tributes at lifelived.com.au
KELL FUNERALS
NFDA EST: 1860
ST ARNAUD 5495 1043
CHURCH NOTICES
DISTRICT CATHOLIC CHURCHES
East Wimmera Parish
BIRCHIP - Sunday September 7th
10.30am
Live Stream out to churches without Mass
BOORT - Sunday September 7th
10.30am - Live Stream in BANYENA - No Mass
CHARLTON - Sunday September 7th
10.30am - Live Stream in
DONALD - Sunday September 7th
8.30am - Mass
ST.ARNAUD - Saturday September 6th
7.00pm - Mass
WYCHEPROOF - Sunday September 7th
10.30am - Live Stream in
Parish Coordinator: Noeline Hogan 0476 617 976
UNITING CHURCH
ST. ARNAUD / STUART MILL
Sunday 7th September
St. Arnaud 9.30am Worship Team. All Welcome.
PARISH OFFICE
Chris & Rob Batters
Pastorial Co-ordinators
Enquiries: 5495 6223
ST. ARNAUD CHURCH OF CHRIST
Cnr Queens Ave & Alma St. Celebrating faith in our Lord Thu 4th September
10.30 a.m. Faith Group Sun 7th September
10.30 a.m.: Worship & Communion
Speaker: Barry Buirski (Celebrate Messiah)
Shared Community lunch to follow. Tues. 9th September
4.30 p.m.: Discovery Club
All welcome to the above occasions.
Enquiries: Church 0494 391 466
ANGLICAN
PARISH OF ST. ARNAUD
Christ Church Old Cathedral
St. Arnaud: 9.30am Every Sunday Eucharist
Bealiba: 8am 2nd/4th Sunday
All Welcome
Rev. Peter Downes
Enquiries phone: 0412 957 383
September 4th
Ellie Hendy
September 5th
Stewart Egan
Kathryn Hendy
Jacki Letts
Emily Brierley
September 7th
Ashley Aspland
Chandra Griffith
Sarah Torney
September 10th Bec
Antarctic conditions freeze Farmers out
THE Preliminary Final of the Inter-Hotels’ Pool Competition was played last Wednesday at the Farmers’ Arms hotel.
While we teetered on the precipice of another winter Antarctic blast one of the combinations in combat, the Farmers’ Arms One or the Country Club Two, was to be banished into the icy evening in a match that was to bear an eerie resemblance to the Second Semi-Final.
It was 70 years ago on this day that the first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published in London and it appeared as if the Club’s Grant Doyle was attempting to register an entry in this illustrious publication when he stunned the Farmers’ captain Leigh Watkins in the opening frame, leaving him with four balls reposing defiantly on the table.
Big gate at semi-final
SATURDAY’S North Central football, hockey and netball semi-finals at Boort on Saturday attracted a large crowd. The official gate figure for the day was Boort $18,245 League officials are tipping bumper crowds at Lord Nelson Park in St Arnaud this Saturday and on grand final day at Wedderburn’s Donaldson Park.
By BOB WOOLEY
Jake Male capitalised on this early good fortune for his team to overcome Ben Medlyn in a tense, drawn-out encounter that went down to the black ball however it was to be the Farmers’ top gun
Ned Gorrie who was to curtail the Club’s aspirations for early dominance in the match when he crashed through their captain, Harley Durward.
Then up to the baize sauntered Will Jackson who was to re-assert the Club’s dominance when he overcame Geoff Watts in a tight, black-ball game to have his team leading by three games to one at the end of the first round of singles.
At the top of the second round in the game between Leigh and Grant the faltering Farmer’s boys
finals’ campaign appeared to be in serious jeopardy when Grant was down to his final object ball but the Welsh Wizard waved his wand, thereby causing a mystical moment that mesmerised Grant into exercising a clean miss on his ball that enabled Leigh to pot out and square their match.
Whether Leigh was able to produce another paranormal event to influence the next frame that took place between Ben and Jake is debateable, suffice to say that Ben was to come back from the near-fatal situation of being seven balls down to force the match to the black ball.
But after a couple of heartstopping misses by both players it was to be the gentle giant Jake who was to prevail. It was now Ned’s turn to keep the Farmers alive in his next encounter with Harley and this he did in his usual
Swimmers get top tips
SWIMMING Victoria held a Wimmera District Development Weekend in Horsham on the weekend. The development weekend was open to swimmers and coaches of the district with swimmers from the St Arnaud Piranhas attending the day.
Maddie McNally participated in the Funky Trunks program for 2.5hrs with 29 other swimmers. They focused on each stroke for 30min each. Alex Graham a two time bronze medalist from the Australian Dolphins took this program with Mel Klamt an advanced coach.
Alex also told his story of becoming an Australian Dolphin and had a signing session. Maddie and Bonnie McNally also both participated in the Fun Swim program for an hour with eight other swimmers. Both girls said it was pretty cool being able to hold an Olympic bronze medal and enjoyed the whole experience.
ANNUAL RALLY
13 & 14 September, 2025
Engine Park, Racecourse Rd, Wedderburn
Adults $5, exhibitors & school children free (cash only)
Complimentary Saturday night tea and free camping for exhibitors
Gates open @ 9.00am
ENGINES TRACTORS CRAFTS RUSTON HORNSBY CARS CHAFF CUTTING TRACTOR TREK TRUCKS SHEARING CATERING
Supported by
Enquires to: T Bailey 0427 583 341 L Goddard 0438 915 278
belligerent style, leaving Harley with three balls on the table and with his team having reduced the margin to just one game it was now definitely game-on.
The final frame of the second round produced another nervejangler between Geoff and Will that eventually culminated in Geoff being confronted with a death-or-glory shot on the black along the cushion.
Purists have suggested that safety may have been the best option but the Batlow battler was having none of that and went for it but the ghosts of Walter Lindrum, Eddie Charlton and countless other famous barons of the baize had turned their backs on him and the black ball bounced out of the jaws.
Will was able to take the match and give his team the lead by five games to three with just one sin-
gles frame remaining, the third round decider between Leigh and Grant.
Leigh appeared to hold the upper hand for the majority of the frame and some will suggest that he may have overthought his final shot rather than play on his natural instincts but folklore will decree that Grant played above himself with his final thunderous long pot on the black a sight to behold, thereby giving his jubilant team a match-winning score of six games to three and propelling them into the Grand Final for their Premiership defence against the RSL side.
For the flattened Farmers’ Arms One going out in straight sets after finishing second on the ladder was a bitter pill to swallow.
The Wind-up and Presentation Day will be held on September 14.
Kirkwood named Saints’ best
JAY KIRKWOOD has taken out the St Arnaud Football Club’s senior best and fairest. Kirwood polled 38 votes to finish ahead of Matthew Goode 35, Kurt Torney 30, Zac Phillips 26 and Max Hungerford 20. Jarryd Kell was a clear winner of the top award in the reserves with 42 votes from Zach Notting 32, Ben Greenaway 30, Jake Hicks 28 and Simon Elliott 26. In men’s hockey, best and fairest is Jack Batters who polled 35 votes from Edward Parry 29 and Thomas Watts 27 while in the women’s grade, Querida Pearse with 55 votes won from Brylea Knight 47 and Emma Green 14.
B
In the netball, Aleisha Petrie received 39 votes to finish ahead of Lucy Gorrie and Rebecca McKenny 30 and Bridgette Douglas and Chloe Needs who tied with 18 votes.
Grade netball: Ada Buenaventura 42, Alex Baldwin 33, Bridgette Douglas 32. C Grade: Jess Van Sittert 43, Sophie O’Donnell 40, Alexa Cameron 29. C Reserve: Emily Hilton 38, Amber Jackson 19, Lucy O’Donnell 19, Chloe Stones 16, Maeve Patton 16. Under 17 football: Austin Lowe 47, Frankie Donald, Chase Zander 44. Under 14: Finn Wilson 88, Chase Hendy 65, Duncan Kirk 29.
Tough ‘n’ rough in blustery weather
TEN pairs battled atrocious weather on the opening day of St Arnaud Country Club annual tournament last Thursday.
Ladies contested a four-ball best-ball competition with players coming from Charlton, Birchip, Wycheproof, Elmhurst, Avoca, Ballarat, Donald and St Arnaud.
Winners on the day were Alison Fahey and Brenda Proctor from St Arnaud with 37 points from Maureen Trollope and Di Lehman from Birchip on 36 points.
Nearest the pins on the 6th and 18th were Wendy Laffin from Charlton and on the 8th and 10th was Debbie Burton from Donald.
Friday was even colder and wetter than Thursday which kept numbers for the 4BBB well down.
There were 18 brave pairs who persisted through gale winds and hail to return some reasonable scores.
Many thanks to those who travelled from Donald, Rupanyup, Berriwillock and Wedderburn for the day.
Winners in A grade were Bill Rodger and Trevor Baldock on 39 points from Cam Morrison and John Goode on 38.
B grade winners were Shaun McNaulty and Mark Sloan on 37 points from David Lanyon and Tony Coloe on 36 points.
Nearest the pins saw Leigh
Hines closest on the 6th, Glenn Morgan from Rupanyup on the 8th, Bill Rodger on the 10th and Steve Drum from Rupanyup on the 18th. Cam Morrison won the beer for best 2nd shot on the 13th.
Saturday was a 27-hole stableford event generously with 26 players competing in two grades in the 27 hole event and a further 17 played 18 holes in the afternoon.
Division 1 winner of the 27 hole scratch event was Craig Burn with 109. Division 1 handicap winner was Will Jackson with 110 net.
Division 2 winner of the 27 hole scratch event was Daniel
Needs with 138 and John Goode won the scratch with 115 net.
Eighteen hole Division 1 scratch event winner was Craig Boucher from Midlands with 72 and the handicap winner was David Lanyon with 73 net.
Division 2 18-hole scratch winner was Keith Lewis from Wedderburn with 91.
Division 2 handicap winner was club president Chris Campbell on 73 net.
The nine-hole Division 1 handicap was Peter Sanderson from Wedderburn with 38 net and the Division 2 handicap winner was Colin Noonan from Wedderburn also on 38 net on a countback from Bas de Bondt from Bendigo.
For the Ladies Brenda Proctor, won the 18 hole scratch with 93 and the handicap winner was the ever reliable Marilyn Knights 77 net.
Nearest the pins for the ladies was Marilyn Knights on the 6th and 8th. Men’s nearest the pins were Tubby Drendel on the 6th, Craig Burn on the 8th, Craig Boucher on the 10th and Will Jackson on the 18th. Craig Boucher rounded out a good day by winning the beer for the best 2nd shot on the 13th.
Sundays two-person Ambrose had the best of the conditions for the tournament with only a couple of showers.
Alison Fahey carried Bill Rodg-
Greats of harness racing are remembered
HARNESS racing followers were saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Maryborough HRC stalwart Les Chapman on Friday.
After decades of working for the Club, Les retired in 2023 but was still very much involved in happenings out at the Carisbrook track including being the trials co-ordinator.
As recently as last Monday Les was still helping out when he was filling in on the horse gate. He was awarded the Gordon Rothacker medal in 2009 as recognition of his contribution to Harness Racing in Victoria.
Les’s involvement with the training and driving of the standardbred involved being associated with the late great JP Moore and reportedly Les won a race on the Inter Dominion winning mare Richmond Lass when she was a juvenile.
Undoubtedly the best horse that Les trained was La Coocaracha as a two and three year old. He won seven races with her before she was transferred to Andy Gath.
The other Rothacker medal recipient who passed away recently was Matt Donaldson from Charlton HRC who first joined the club in the 1950s.
Apart from being a successful
By INSIDE RUNNING
trainer/driver Matt served terms as club president and secretary and was one of the founders of the Country Clubs Association.
Amongst his many successes on the track Matt drove the winner of the 1982 South Australian Trotters Derby, Fourjay, for trainer Mark Boyle and owners Janice Boyle, Jenny Curran, Joan Cadzow and John Robinson and in 1992 he represented Australia in the World Amateur Driving Championship in Paris.
More sad news on Saturday with the passing of Merbein South trainer Jeffrey Gadsden, Charlton trainer Mick Gadsden’s father.
Jeff was having his best ever season and had trained nine winners including a double at Mildura in late June with two horses that he raced with his wife Jenny, Im Stuck Man and To The Nines.
Maryborough raced on Monday and the first race win on the Berimal owned and trained trotting mare Champagnes was the start of a big week for Lexton driver James Herbertson.
Raced by Debbie Youngson and trained by her husband Nick the 7yo mare worked her way
around the field to be in front after 400m and from there it was a procession with Champagnes winning by 30.7m in a career best mile rate of 1.58.7.
Another 7yo mare Redbank Molly, trained by Shaun and Jason McNaulty, made it career win number fifteen when she led most of the way in a heat of a NR up to 49 class race, the final of which was run at Terang on Monday night.
The winner was driven by
James Herbertson and won by 10.9m.
The next race at Maryborough was the Aldebaran Park Trot that was won by Beautiful Sunrise for Navarre trainer Toby Ainsworth and was driven by his wife Ada Massa.
The 7yo mare had won two races in a row back in May and had except from one blot on her record had raced consistently since then.
Amongst the winners at Shepparton on Tuesday was Hitch To His Star whose part owner and breeder is Keith Maybanks, the friendly Clerk of the Course around this area.
The last race at Bendigo on Wednesday night was won by the 4yo Sportswriter mare Tap To Pay who is trained in Charlton by Zac Steenhuis for the sizeable owner group of Z Steenhuis, L Holmes-Brown, K Jones, P Boyles, M Hanley, R Cossar, T J Heenan, P Sanderson, The Firm Group and The Roughies Group.
The winning driver was James Herbertson with that success making it a treble for the meeting. This week Bendigo has an almost full programme of trotters races tonight and next Monday they’re racing at Maryborough with Echuca on Tuesday night.
er to victory with 1 over par 72 in the scratch event. Dark horses Shaun McNaulty and Jack McNamara took out the handicap with 64 net.
Handicap runners up were Jenny and Happy Lanyon with 67. Nearest the pins were Happy Lanyon on the 6th, Alison Fahey on the 8th, Leigh Hines on the 10th and Jack McNamara on the 18th.Nearest the pin on the 18th over the whole four days was was won by Steve Drum from Rupanyup.
On Saturday, one singles knockout match was played with Will Jackson winning his way into the final by defeating David Lanyon 3 up.
DUNCAN Jackson, who started playing hockey in St Arnaud’s minkey program has been selected in the Australian under 21 team to play in the Sultan of Johor Cup
The six-match international cup will be contested in Malaysia in October.
The Burras suffered a nail-biting loss in the final of last year’s Sultan of Johor Cup, going down 5-4 to India in a shootout.
For the first time in the tournament’s history, this year’s edition will feature eight teams instead of six. The teams have been divided into two pools of four, with the Burras in Pool A alongside Germany, Great Britain and South Africa.
Friday’s 4BBB winners Shaun McNaulty, David Lanyon, Rod Kirk (representing sponsors Elders), Bill Rodger, Trevor Baldock, John Goode and Tony Coloe
Kooreh trainer Shaun McNaulty with in form Lexton reinsman James Herbertson
Youngsters in battle to siren
ST ARNAUD Under 14 footballers are through to the grand final after a thrilling three-point victory over Sea Lake Nandaly in the second semi-final at Boort Park on Saturday.
The Saints came out firing, dominating the early stages with strong tackling pressure and quick movement through the midfield. Their accuracy in front of goal gave them the upper hand as they set up a handy lead.
But Sea Lake Nandaly weren’t finished. The Tigers roared back into the contest in the second half, applying relentless pressure and capitalising on their forward entries to close the margin. The game tightened right up, and with the clock ticking down, the crowd was on edge as both sides fought for every possession.
In the end, the Saints’ composure under pressure proved the difference, holding off the Tigers’ late surge to secure a 5.7 (37) to 5.4 (34) win.
St Arnaud Under 17s have
fallen just short in their second semi-final clash against Sea Lake Nandaly, going down 4.4 (28) to 5.9 (39).
The Saints started the game a little flat, with Sea Lake Nandaly capitalising early and holding the momentum through the first half.
Trailing at the main break, the Saints’ coaching group made some key positional changes that paid dividends. The team lifted their pressure around the contest, moved the ball more cleanly, and began to swing the momentum their way.
Despite a much-improved second half and several chances in front of goal, the Saints couldn’t quite bridge the gap, eventually falling by 11 points.
The loss now sets up a preliminary final showdown with Boort on Saturday. With home ground advantage and confidence gained from their second-half fightback, the Saints will be eager to respond strongly and keep their finals campaign alive.
Intense and fierce encounter comes down to eight-second shootouts
NORTH Central Hockey Association’s second semi-final was played at Boort on Saturday, And the crowd was treated to a full day of high-intensity hockey as the top two teams of each grade went head to head in hopes of earning that Grand Final slot.
The men’s semi-final was billed as the game of the day, and it lived up to expectations. From the first whistle the intensity was fierce, with crunching tackles, vocal support from the crowd, and the umpires busy keeping tempers in check.
Calder struck first late in the opening quarter when Marcus Williamson pounced on a rebound from a short corner to make it 1-0.
The second quarter was fiery, with multiple green cards and even a yellow cards coming out saw both teams playing short on players for extended periods. Amid the chaos, St Arnaud equalised through Ben Greenaway, who converted from a short corner to square it up at 1-1 before halftime.
The pace didn’t drop in the second half. Calder pressed hard through repeated corners, only to be denied by St Arnaud keeper Sam Cook and defenders throwing themselves into the fray.
At the other end, Thomas Watts and Ben Greenaway threatened to break the deadlock, but Calder’s Jacob Moresi and Nick Rowley held the defensive line repelling attack after attack.
With no further scores coming before full time the match was set to go to shoot outs in a mirror of the women’s game before it with Calder and St Arnaud once again lining up.
Joe Watts opened for St Arnaud with a goal, before Paddy Eccles replied for Calder. Ben Greenaway then found the net before Calder’s Max Rowley bringing it back to level after the first round of shoot outs. With the scores
locked at 3-3 sudden death shoot outs were the only way to resolve a winner. Max Rowley having already scored in the first stage of the shoot out was selected to step up first in sudden death for Calder.
A calm but powerful flick by Max Rowley past keeper Sam Cook saw hope for Calder. Saints Ed Parry tried to work his way around keeper Will Ison but no clean opportunity appeared. As the eight seconds was up and no score coming from the Saints, Calder players swarmed keeper Will Ison erupting in celebration with a 4-3 win seeing them chasing a grand final dream.
The underage semi was a hard-fought contest from start to finish. Charlton began brightly, pushing into attack and forcing Saints’ keeper into early saves. A short corner chance was denied,
but minutes later Amali Fitzpatrick drove a ball across the D for Ruby Wright to finish cleanly and put Charlton ahead going into halftime.
Saints lifted after halftime, Samuel Greenaway carrying strongly up the left wing to test the defence, but Charlton’s backline stood tall.
Multiple short corners were earned by Charlton, including one where Murphy Fitzpatrick’s flick over grounded keeper Forbes Kirk had finally slipped past only to be stopped on the line by Saints’ defender Isabella Bigmore who cleared it brilliantly off the line. Forbes’ relentless defence kept Saints dreams alive but with no goals coming the early damage had been done. Charlton managed to hold their slender lead and book their spot in the grand final with a 1-0 win.
Efficient conversions steer under 14s to victory
FINALS pressure was evident from the outset of the North Central under 14B netball semi-final with both teams guilty of early turnovers.
Once settled midway through the quarter, there was some great ball movement into space.
St Arnaud proved more efficient in converting opportunities, taking a 7–2 lead over Boort into quarter time.
Strong midcourt play allowed St Arnaud to continue building momentum throughout the second and third quarters, steadily extending their advantage.
In the final term, Boort’s defenders worked tirelessly to create turnovers and provide their shooters with opportunities. However, St Arnaud maintained their composure and capitalised on their chances to close out the game.
IN the first of three matches featuring Weddburburn, it was Calder United who took C Grade honourts.
Wedderburn settled quickly into the match, scoring early and taking a strong 9–2 lead before Calder United found their rhythm. Calder responded well, closing the gap to just two goals by quarter time.
The second quarter was dominated by Calder, who connected strongly through the court and capitalised on opportunities to swing the momentum in their favour. By half time, they had taken control, leading 30–23.
The third quarter proved evenly matched, with both sides working hard to maintain possession and apply pressure.
In the final term, Calder United built on their attacking connections, with their goalers rotating effectively and rewarding the team’s hard work. Calder steadied and extended their lead, running out comfortable winners.
In B Grade, the Redbacks stamped their authority early,
moving the ball fluently in attack and finishing with accuracy. Their defensive unit applied relentless pressure, forcing Calder United to work hard for every score while also claiming clean intercepts.
The Lions tested a number of combinations throughout the match in search of momentum, but were unable to match Wedderburn’s consistency across the court.
The Redbacks claimed every quarter and ran out convincing winners.
The A Grade clash between Wedderburn and Boort was a ripper and lived up to expectations, played at a furious pace that produced plenty of turnovers.
At quarter time, the scores were locked away at 11 apiece, with neither side able to gain an edge.
The second term remained tightly contested. The Redbacks made positional changes in search of momentum, but it was Boort who edged ahead to take a slender one-goal lead into the main break.
As the physicality lifted in the third quarter, Wedderburn made further adjustments that proved effective.
They capitalised on their opportunities and built the biggest lead of the game, five goals, heading into three-quarter time.
Boort responded strongly in the final term, with midcourt changes sparking a surge that brought them back within one goal.
An injury forced a late reshuffle that initially unsettled the Magpies, but they regained composure to challenge in the dying minutes.
In the end, Wedderburn held firm to claim a thrilling one-goal victory.
Boort will be primed for Saturday’s preliminary final and the hope of securing another crack at undefeated Wedderburn.
Saints’ ruckman Austin Lowe was among the under 17’s best players. NCN PHOTO
Charlton’s Amali Fitzpatrick tries to intercept the Saints in the underage semifinal. NCN PHOTO
NORTH CENTRAL FOOTBALL
SENIORS
Birchip Watchem 0.1 2.2
(54)
(65)
GOALS – Birchip Watchem: T. Gibson, L. Foott, R. Conboy 2, B. Edwards, M. Buchanan. Calder United: D. Pearce 4, M. Farmer 3, Z. Keighran, M. Wade, J. Marlais. BEST – Birchip Watchem: B. Lakin, C. Frank, M. Rippon, A. Dean, T. Gibson, J. Christie. Calder United: D. Watts, C. Fawcett, O. Madden, Z. Keighran, M. Trzeciak, M. Wade.
RESERVES
Calder United 1.4 3.4 6.8 8.10 (58) Boort 0.1 3.3 5.3 5.3 (33)
GOALS – Calder United: H. Senior 2, T. Vearing, B. Barker, D. Kelly, C. Green, J. Ison, H. Connolly. Boort: J. Mulquiny, J. Baker, M. Coleman, H. Weaver, P. O’Rourke.
BEST – Calder United: J. Morrison, J. Turner, S. Kelly, B. Forrester, T. Vearing, J. Ison. Boort: J. Baker, C. Ross, F. Millar, A. Trethowan, S. Toose, D. Hatcher.
UNDER 17
St Arnaud
(28)
Sea Lake Nandaly 2.2 4.6 4.7 5.9 (39) BEST – St Arnaud: S. Bridgeman, A. Lowe, J. Batters, A. Wickham, F. Wilson, F. Burke. Sea Lake Nandaly: N. McClelland, J. Durie, A. Renney, H. Warne, B. Allan, J. Cox.
UNDER 14
St Arnaud
Sea Lake Nandaly 0.0
(37)
(34) BEST – St Arnaud: P. Zsigmond, C. Hendy, J. James, D. Kirk, A. Reyne. Sea Lake Nandaly: H. Cox, R. Allan, F. Austerberry, H. Wight, H. Landry, J. Hodgson.
SENIORS
Talbot
(58) Navarre
GOALS – Talbot: R. Egan, A. Scott 2, J. Britten, Z. Cicchini, J. McGuire, J. Stephens. Navarre: A. Slorach 4, R. Bibby 2, S. Rickard 2, Z. Varley.
BEST – Talbot: J. House, J. McGuire, A. Marshall, A. Scott, D. Osborne, M. Webb. Navarre: R. Bibby, O. Notting, B. Carter, Z. Varley, L. Hendy, A. Bade. Harcourt 12.1 (73) lost to Natte Bealiba 12.9 (81).
RESERVES
Dunolly 6.6 (42) lost to Trentham 9.4 (58). Harcourt 5.9 (39) d Lexton 4.12 (36).
UNDER 17.5
Maryborough 7.7 (49) d Harcourt 6.4 (40). Navarre 8.11 (59) d Lexton 2.1 (13).
UNDER 14.5
Maryborough 7.7 (49) d Harcourt 6.4 (40). Navarre 8.11 (59) d Lexton 2.1 (13).
UNDER 11.5
Carisbrook 0.0 (0) lost to Newstead 6.7 (43). Harcourt 2.0 (12) D Dunolly 1.4 (10).
NORTH CENTRAL NETBALL
(46)
Watchem 12 27 37 44 (44) 14 & Under A
6 10 16 20 (20)
Watchem 4 8 11 17 (17) 14 & Under B
2 4 5 7 (7) St Arnaud 7 11 17 21 (21)
PRELIMINARY FINALS
A | 3:00PM
B | 1:45PM
C | 12:30PM C RES | 11
FINALS
NANDALY V CALDER UNITED
BIRCHIP-WATCHEM V BOORT
BIRCHIP-WATCHEM V DONALD BOORT V BIRCHIP-WATCHEM
ARNAUD V DONALD
STRAIGHT THROUGH
ST ARNAUD has gone straight into three North Central grand finals with victories on the weekend.
The Saints’ women’s hockey team won out in thrilling arm wrestle with Calder United.
They will be joined on grand final day at Wedderburn’s Donaldson Park by the under 14 footballers and under 14B netballers while Charlton is through to the
underage hockey grand final after a tight victory over St Arnaud.
The women’s hockey second semi-final at Boort on Saturday saw both teams defending desperately and goalkeepers standing tall.
Calder pressed early, Kate Gifford firing at goal from a short only for keeper Sophie Male to make a remarkable clean save.
St Arnaud responded with runs down the sideline and corners of
their own, but Calder’s defence, led by captain Laura Harrison’s tireless work, held them out.
Chances kept coming after halftime but neither side could land the killer blow.
With dangerous strikes from Brylea Knight being barely saved by Calders keeper Sue-Anne Beattie the scores were all locked up at 0-0 at the end of the full time.
This gave the competition’s first look at eight-second shoot
outs for the series where attackers have eight seconds to go 1v1 with the goal keeper.
With the pressure and intensity high both teams took it in turns to face down the others goalie.
Brylie Knight and Querida Pearse scored for St Arnaud, while Tanya Goddard was the only successful Calder striker after each team’s five shots.
This Saturday’s preliminary finals at Lord Nelson Park will see
St Arnaud’s under 17 footballers and underage hockey team vyingf for the second grand final berth.
The senior football match will see reigning premiers Sea Lake Nandaly take on the previously undefeated Birchip Watchem who lost to Calder United in the preliminary final.
WEEKEND SPORTS REPORTS - INSIDE
Under 14 netball captain Jaylah Campbell on court in Saturday’s semi-final. NCN FINAL
Under 14 footballer Sami Weir (above) all smiles after the young team’s win while Emma Green sends the Saints into attack during the women’s hockey clash. NCN PHOTO