MUIRS has been part of the Wangaratta community for around 40 years and have moved location to increase their visibility and reach more people within the North East.
From humble beginnings at the Queen Victoria Market, the initial Wangaratta location was the company’s third location when it first opened up.
The store was opened after many clients from the North East started travelling down to their Footscray store and the business saw an opportunity to help them in the field.
“The idea of coming to Wangaratta was that we had a lot of customers in the North East of Victoria who were coming down with their produce down into the market,” Muirs director and manager, Stuart Muir, said.
“They were asking us in the shop for help which was based around what they needed in field.
“So, we decided to open up a store here in 1983 and employee two people to go out onto the farm to provide a service to the client.”
The business offers advice and products on everything horticulture and is looking to expand into an animal livestock audience with their new Wangaratta location at 16A Shanley Street.
Muirs was founded in 1927 by Edward Muir and has been passed down through many generations of the family.
One of the current family members, Stuart Muir, said working for a family business fills him with a sense of pride and greater responsibility for his work.
■ Continued page 6
David Handley and Stuart Muir were proud
unveil the new location and brand change. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
TASTY FOOD
Avocado and smashed cucumber salad, mirin and sesame
THIS recipe, which serves four, was created by Bill Granger for Australian Avocados.
Bill is credited with popularising avocado toast since first putting it on the menu of his Sydney café in 1993.
This recipe is Bill’s go-to ‘bring-a-plate’ at barbeques and he also serves it up with poached or grilled chicken, fish, seafood or rice for dinner.
More avocado recipes can be found at australianavocados.com.au.
Ingredients - Salad
- 2 large ripe avocado
- 1 cucumber
- 100g blanched edamame beans
- 2 tbsp mirin dressing
- 1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 small bunch of mint, picked and torn
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Method – Salad
Whilst keeping the cucumber in its wrapping, bash it heavily on all sides with a rolling pin.
Remove from the plastic and cut roughly into one inch pieces.
Tip the cucumber into a large mixing bowl.
Halve the avocado and spoon the middle out into the bowl in rough pieces.
Add the edamame beans and dress well with the dressing, adding more if needed.
Spoon into a large bowl or four smaller individual bowls.
Sprinkle with the spring onions and toasted sesame and garnish with the mint.
Ingredients - Mirin dressing
- 50ml mirin
- 100ml sesame oil
- 40ml rice wine vinegar
- 20ml lemon juice
Method – Mirin dressing
Mix all the ingredients well together and season to taste.
Dress the salad immediately.
Tip – You can substitute frozen peas for edamame beans if preferred.
This Day in History, 1905
MERRIWA PARK
THE name ‘Merriwa’ was given to the park being created in what was previously a flood plain on a bend in the King River.
A list of suggestions had been provided by Mr W.S.Murdoch, an associate of the Australian Anthropological Society.
The Borough Council thought that the meaning for the Aboriginal word ‘Merriwa’ - rich flat land at the bend of a river - summed up the location nicely.
All our mountains have snow to enjoy this week
NOW is the perfect time to celebrate the snow season on the slopes.
Mt Buffalo had more snowfall over the weekend, creating perfect conditions for tobogganing at Cresta Valley and Dingo Dell.
All the cross country ski trails are also open.
Seasonable snowfalls are predicted at Dinner Plain and both the ski and toboggan slopes are open.
Natural snow coverage is currently patchy, however there are many stashes of snow to make a snowman.
Winter is in full swing at Falls Creek with the snow guns blazing and a flurry of natural
snow falling on the resort.
Nine out of the 15 ski lifts are currently open with many other activities to enjoy including tobogganing and their weekly fireworks and twilight skiing events.
Mt Hotham is currently experiencing good snow conditions for skiing and snowboarding as more snow falls and the groomers ensure the slopes are in peak condition.
There are currently 61 open trails for visitors to explore, with a majority of lifts and alpine runs opened at the resort.
At Mt Buller, there are a range of activities for Christmas Week until August 10 filled with Christmas music, enter-
tainment and even a visit from Santa on Saturday.
The resort is also holding hits 14th annual ‘Chicks who Shred’ event on August 8 and 9 for female snowboarders and skiers to test their skills. At the resort, there are currently nine lifts open and there is plenty of snow on the mountain.
For the latest information on the mountains visit: Dinner Plain: visitdinnerplain.com.au Falls Creek: fallscreek.com. au Mt Hotham: hotham.com.au
Mt Buffalo: visitmountbuffalo.com.au
Mt Buller: mtbuller.com.au.
◆ WINTER MAGIC: Monaco Hilton had fun tobogganing at Mt Buffalo on the weekend.
PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Reducing tension in multi-cat households
THE American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) have recently released new guidelines relating to the recognition, prevention and management of intercat tension, within multi-cat households.
Intercat tension, or conflict, can often present itself in subtle ways which even experienced cat caregivers may have trouble identifying.
Such tension can occur in households of two or more cats and most frequently presents upon introduction of a new cat into the home.
The guidelines include visual examples of intercat tension, case studies and management tools in an effort to help veterinary professionals and cat caregivers alike to recognise and resolve intercat conflict.
The document outlines five pillars that contribute to a healthy multi-cat environment which are:
1. Providing safe places
This helps to increase choice and prevent competi-
NATIVE ANIMALS
with Alex Bucci
WARBY STREET VET
tion for resources within the home, which in turn leads to a greater feeling of safety and security.
Pay attention to your cat’s preferred location/height (e.g. up on furniture/perches or floor level), consider adding more vertical options or some hiding spots for more timid individuals.
2. Providing multiple and separated key environmental resources
Feeding and water stations should be separated for each cat, and visual barriers should be utilised where appropriate.
Consider placing visual barriers to block visibility of outdoor cats that are able to peer into the house.
Have you got sufficient litter boxes?
Are they cleaned regularly?
The ideal number of litter boxes for a home is one for
each cat, plus one extra.
3. Providing opportunity for play and predatory behaviour
Other than queens and kittens, who communally eat together, cats are often solitary hunters and feeders.
Distress can occur when cats congregate in food preparation areas.
Utilisation of puzzle feeders can help to simulate more natural feeding behaviours (e.g. hunting).
4. Providing positive, consistent and predictable human–cat social interaction
Interactive play (e.g. using toys) is encouraged in conjunction with reward-based training.
The majority of cats tend to prefer short but frequent human interactions, though longer interactions are preferred if the cat is initiating the behaviour.
Emphasis is placed on providing choice and control for cats during these interactions.
5. Providing an environment that respects the cat’s sense of smell and other senses
Novel (new) sensory stimuli - including the introduction of a new cat - can be
stressful for resident cat(s).
Synthetic feline pheromones (e.g. Feliway products) may help to improve cat(s) emotional states.
If you are considering adding a new cat to your
household, or think your cats are experiencing tension or distress, it is recommended to give your vet clinic a call to get advice on potential management strategies.
Our wonderful wallabies
ALTHOUGH not common to most suburban backyards, wallabies will visit backyards that are near bushland and will certainly frequently visit those lucky enough to have big backyards.
Wallabies are marsupials that belong to the animal group Macropods which means ‘large footed’.
Other macropods include kangaroos, pademelons, wallaroos and tree-kangaroos.
There are about 30 wallaby species in Australia.
Wallabies have very powerful tails and back legs.
They use their tails for balance and for support when sitting down.
They can move at high speed and jump long distances with their back legs, which are also used by males when fighting to kick each other.
For more information please contact: Amy Ratcliffe 5723 0134 | aratcliffe@nemedia.com.au Jess Clough 5723 0128 | jclough@nemedia.com.au
Wallabies breed between January and February.
After 28 days, the single new-born joey will crawl into its mothers pouch for at least two months and stay there for at least seven months.
Drought has been bringing wallabies and kangaroos closer to towns in search of food and water.
The most common ones you might see are Red-necked wallabies, Swamp Wallabies and Eastern Grey Kangaroos.
Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies are easily recognised by their long, bushy, dark brown tail that is bushier towards the tip.
It has pale belly fur, a white cheek strip and a black stripe on its forehead.
It is a small and muscular wallaby and is well at home in its rocky habitat.
They live in south-east Queensland all
the way down to the Grampians in western Victoria, in rocky outcrops, escarpments and cliffs with caves and ledges.
During the day they hide amongst their rocky habitat or bask in the sunlight. They are most active at night when they eat grasses, leaves and fruits that grow nearby.
The Swamp Wallaby, or Black Wallaby, lives in eastern Australia in thick forested areas and sandstone heath.
It is dark brown with a lighter stomach and chest.
The Parma Wallaby is a solitary, nocturnal species that feeds in the evening on grasses and herbs.
Also known as the White-throated Wallaby, it is a small animal with a white throat and chest and a pale stripe on its cheek.
◆ INTERCAT FRIENDSHIP: Cats who sleep intertwined or huddled together often represent wellbonded, affiliative pairs.
◆ BUSHLAND BUDDY: There are over 30 different species of wallabies across Australia. PHOTO: Valeriia Miller on Pexels
Growing forward as a family
■ From page 1
“There’s a lot of passion when working for your family since it’s your own flesh and blood,” he said.
“There’s plenty of respect for the family and generations who came before you.”
While working with family can have its challenges, Stuart said they have always been able to overcome them.
“Working respectfully with family is one of the great challenges in business,” he said.
“Sometimes we need to sit back and celebrate what the family’s achieved since it’s a bit of a testament to previous generations.”
Stuart has been actively working in the company since 2003 and since working with the company has seen it grow from
12 stores to 41 alongside six other family members
Alongside the new location, the business has also rebranded from E.E. Muir & Sons to Muirs with the new slogan of ‘Grow Forward’. Stuart said they rebranded in order to make the business more inclusive and welcoming.
“There was a lot of discussion around the brand change and a lot of sentimental attachment to 96 years of the company,” he said.
“With the rebrand, we’ve rubbed out the patriarchal references and to me it is a more welcoming type of name that modernises the brand to make it more appropriate for the 21st century.”
Muirs have been Australian owned since their inception, which allows employees opinions
to be heard and be treated as equals.
“Working for Muirs is very rewarding, we’re part of a strong team, we’ve got a lot of agronomists across the country,” regional business manager for NSW and North East Victoria, Rob Forsyth, said.
“It’s great to be able to talk to the owner of the business and have a say into the areas that the business grows into.”
Stuart said they also try and hire locals in the area so that customers can get the best advice.
“Our team at Wangaratta have been very longstanding members in our team and the community,” he said.
“Hopefully that helps us stand out like a beacon in the market.”
To find out more about Muirs, visit https://muirs.co/.
FEATURE STORY
For more information
please contact:
Amy Ratcliffe
5723 0134
aratcliffe@nemedia.com.au
DEDICATED TEAM: Tony Vaccaro, Jerard Brewer, Peter Hines, Geoff Morrow, Jesse Ramage, Stuart Muir, Paul Selleck and Rob Forsyth look forward to helping customers in the North East.
NorthEast JOBS
To place an ad, phone 5723 0101 or email
ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
Permanent position based in Milawa
About us: Brown Family Wine Group is one of Australia’s most loved and respected wine companies built on over 130 years’ experience in quality winemaking, market leading innovation and family values that are at the heart of everything we do as a business.
Role Snapshot: Reporting to the Cost Accountant this role involves the day-to-day preparation and control of the company’s accounts with focus on cash, product costing, inventory controls and reviewing work orders.
Key Accountabilities:
• Reconcile inventory control accounts
• Prepare product costs and review cost variances
• Maintain the Group’s fixed asset register
• Maintain capital lease records and reconciliations
• Complete bank and other reconciliations
About you:
Ideally you will have the following skills, experience and qualities:
• Qualifications in Accounting or substantial relevant experience
• Already studying towards being a Chartered Accountant (CA) or Certified Practising Accountant (CPA).
• Power BI experience (preferred but not essential)
• Developed analytical and problem-solving skills
• Very high attention to detail
• Strong Excel skills
What’s on offer: For the successful candidate we offer a great work culture, career development and a competitive salary plus generous employee benefits including discounts on all products.
More Information: Further information and a position description can be obtained by emailing careers@brownfwg.com.au or by calling Allyce on (03) 5720 5500.
Applications close August 15 2024
Accounts Administration Assistant
Plantation Harvesting, Myrtleford
We are seeking an
Accounts Administration Assistant to assist with accounts receivable/payable, reconciling, reporting, timesheets, data entry and general admin.
We are looking for someone with:
• Accounts and administration experience
• Strong attention to detail
• High level of accuracy in numerical data
• Must have Xero and MYOB software experience
Previous exposure to the forestry or earthmoving industry is highly desirable however not essential.
working hours, working within a small and friendly team.
Applications can be emailed to admin@howerussell.com.au
Your local Wangaratta
Health and Safety Advisor
Visit
For enquiries, please call 0400 826 704. www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au
and
Kincrome’s top of the range socket set
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Bowel cancer screening in Australia: vital health initiative
BOWEL cancer is a significant health concern in Australia, but there’s good news: we have a national screening program that’s making a real difference.
Let’s take a closer look at how it works and why it matters.
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program has undergone recent changes and now offers free screening to Australians aged 45-74 every two years.
It’s a simple process: kits can be ordered by seeing your GP, calling 1800 627 701 or ordering it yourself from the online program platform.
This kit allows you to collect small stool samples in the privacy of your own bathroom.
Once you’ve collected the samples, you simply mail them back to the lab.
They’re looking for traces of blood that might indicate bowel cancer or precancerous growths.
This test, known as a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), is remarkably effective at detecting earlystage bowel cancer.
And early detection is key.
When caught early, bowel cancer has a treatment success rate of up to 90 per cent.
That’s why this screening program is so important.
However, there’s room for improvement.
As of 2021, only about 44 per cent of eligible Australians complete the test when invited.
Health authorities are working hard to increase
these numbers through education and outreach programs.
If your test comes back positive, don’t panic.
It doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer, but it does mean you’ll need further investigation.
The program ensures timely follow-up for positive results to minimize anxiety and expedite treatment if needed.
The impact of this program has been significant. Thousands of cancer cases have been detected early, and countless precancerous lesions have been removed, potentially preventing future cancers.
In fact, it’s estimated that the program will prevent 59,000 bowel cancer deaths between 2015 and 2040.
While screening is crucial, it’s part of a broader approach to bowel cancer prevention.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol consumption, and avoiding smoking, all play important roles in reducing risk.
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is a testament to Australia’s commitment to public health.
By providing free, accessible screening to millions, it’s playing a vital role in reducing the impact of bowel cancer across the nation.
So, next time you receive that screening kit in the mail, remember: taking a few minutes to complete the test could save your life.
It’s a small act that can make a big difference.
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with Russell Ferguson NORTH EAST FASTENERS
with Teresa McMahon SOUTH WANGARATTA MEDICAL CENTRE
