Regional Extra 290524

May 29 - June 4, 2024

New face to lead Borinya

By SIMONE KERWIN

INVOLVEMENT in an alternative year 10 program at his first school in North Keilor sparked the passion which has now led Eamonn Buckley to take on the principalship at Borinya Wangaratta Community Partnership.

Mr Buckley, who has most recently spent two years as assistant principal at Albury’s Xavier High School, and before that was deputy principal at Catholic College Wodonga, is taking over at Borinya this term from Genevieve O’Reilly, who has been at the helm since 2018.

He said helping to develop and seeing the achievements made through North Keilor Catholic Regional College’s Nitor program (which won praise in well-known parent educator Steve Biddulph’s 2019 book ‘The New Manhood’ as “the most exciting program I have come across in years”) had sparked his passion for such work.

Nitor, which Mr Buckley developed with fellow teacher Brian Horan, was offered to year 10 boys disengaged with their learning or seeking a different challenge to prepare them for their final years of secondary school.

“We saw a need around school disengagement and low level literacy; sometimes, even if you’re going along quietly, you can sometimes slip through in a class of 22 to 26 students,” he said.

“I had been at the school for six years prior to the program, but I think Nitor probably lit the fuse for work in that pastoral space.”

■ Continued page 6

◆ SEASON OF CHANGE: New Borinya Wangaratta Community Partnership principal Eamonn Buckley is taking the reins from Genevieve O’Reilly, who has been principal since 2018. PHOTO: Simone Kerwin

The importance of a good cattle crush

IT is difficult to describe the feeling a veterinarian has when they’re positioned between the hind legs of a 200 kilogram bull calf, tasked with a castration and armed with only a steel scalpel blade.

Damn vulnerable is a good place to start.

Was the sweat that beaded my forehead and stung my eyes from the apprehension or from the relentless Australian sun?

I had already performed the sedation and local freezing.

Now the first testicle was exposed and ready to be removed.

The calf was supposedly restrained in the crush… or so I thought.

Before the circuitry in my brain could form any real-time connections, I was nose-to-nose with the soon-to-be steer.

I grabbed both sides of the crush and climbed monkey-like up the side gates.

When I describe just how close I was to having a neardeath incident, the half a centimetre between my thumb and forefinger represent the approximated distance between my low-hanging bum and the back of the bull as it charged underneath me.

Let us rewind a bit.

Before beginning the procedure, I had left the back sliding gate of the crush open for my safety.

Because there wasn’t a vet gate, the side of the crush did not have a release and the head gate was known to be dodgy.

And this was a brand new crush, but the type you would order at a 50 per cent discount from Temu or Wish.

Now, standing perched

with Dr Monica Kunze WARBY STREET VET

above the crush, I watched my bovine patient scamper down the paddock with one testicle swinging beneath him like a fleshy pink Yo-Yo.

I climbed down, fuming.

I practically threw my bloody scalpel blade at my bewildered student assistant and stomped down the paddock to capture the escapee.

After some gentle persuasion, I convinced my patient to return into the crush.

Then my colleagues, the stock handler, and I proceeded to swiftly finish the job.

We extracted the second testicle soon after.

If there exists an entry for “fastest calf castration” in the Guinness World Records, you can bet your boots we overtook it with our second bull calf.

Alright, kids, now if some kind of moral or lesson can be gleamed out of this harrowing experience, it is that every farm should possess a livestock crush ideally one that wasn’t purchase from The Reject Shop and doubles as a euthanasia contraption for your local veterinarian.

Oh, but the benefits go far beyond your vet living past the age of 28.

Here are a few:

• Improved animal health.

By using proper equipment, you can minimise bruising, injection site damage, and stress.

Negative effects from stress cause lower conception rates, reduce vaccination effectiveness, and reduce immune and rumen functions.

• Cattle feel safe and less pressured when restrained properly.

• Handlers feel safer and avoid injuring themselves.

• Increases economic viability of your farm. What does a good quality crush have?

• Appropriate footing to prevent slipping.

• A reliable head gate: guards to prevent break outs, varying head capacity (from calf to bull), and self-catching abilities.

• Good accessibility to the animal upper and lower side gates with a release feature

• Backdrop gate.

• Palpation cage.

Ask your veterinarian for some suggestions before purchasing new or used handling systems for your farm.

Crayfish season starts this Saturday, but know the rules

JUNE 1 each year is opening day of the Victorian crayfishing season, and this year, that is this Saturday.

Before heading out crayfishing it is important to be familiar with the crayfishing regulations as they are some of the most complex rules in Victorian freshwater fishing.

There is a minimum and maximum size limit known as a slot limit, a tight bag limit and restrictions around the types of nets that are allowed.

I won’t go into detail on the crayfishing laws now, but strongly advise that you download a copy of the Victorian Fisheries Authority guidebook, known as the Vic Fishing app.

One rule I will mention because it catches a lot of people out, is that it is illegal

to use Open Top Lift Nets (pyramid nets) in all crayfishing waters, even if you are not targeting crayfish.

So make sure you leave them at home!

Locally freshwater crays can be found in the Mitta Mitta, Kiewa, Ovens, King and Broken rivers, along with the Murray River which is governed by NSW regulations.

Look for deep holes in any of those rivers, particularly under steep clay banks.

Most people prefer to use drop nets, often called

hoop nets, although I also enjoy catching them on my fishing rods with a bit of meat tied to the end and a landing net.

With low water levels in the rivers at the moment, the Murray River including Lake Mulwala will be popular spots to go crayfishing.

The restricted bag limits have meant that people need to see crayfish as a special treat and not a food source.

For many people, catching Murray crayfish is all about the experience rather than the feed of crayfish, and more and more people are preferring to return them to the water and just enjoy their time on the river with a camp fire, a few mates, a barbecue and maybe even a beverage of choice.

This Day in History, 1838

◆ YUMMY: The signs are good with crayfish already being caught as a by-catch on fishing rods right across the region over the last couple of weeks. This one was caught on cheese that was intended to catch a Murray cod.

STURT ALONG THE MURRAY

CHARLES Sturt, one of the early Australian explorers, stood at the junction of the Ovens and Murray rivers, in 1838.

Sturt, by 1838, had already named the Murray.

Now he sought to prove the river he had named the Murray further downstream was, in fact, the same river that the Hume and Hovell expedition had named the Hume.

with Rob Alexander WANGARATTA

Helping people is a way of life

INDEPENDENT LIVING

KATHY (Kathleen) Hazell is a bit of an institution in Wangaratta.

For many decades she and her husband Ray gave huge joy to so many people by transforming their home into Santa Land over Christmas – festooning it with festive lights and turning the front garden into a cross between Santa’s workshop and the North Pole.

Kathy, resplendent in a red suit with a full white beard, would rush out to the busloads of people stopping to admire the display – many from aged care homes in Wangaratta – and give them home-made miniature plum puddings and lollies.

“It was a lot of fun,” she said.

“We made a lot of people very happy.”

Over the years Kathy, 73, also used to make blankets for the Royal Children’s Hospital and do crochet work, much of which she gave to charity and to friends.

Even now she’s a firm believer in always lending a hand – even when her own are riddled with arthritis.

“I love helping people,” Kathy said.

“A lot of people say to me ‘you put other people before yourself,’ and I tell them ‘that’s the way it’s always been.

“I’m not going to change now.”

Kathy grew up in Wangaratta, where she also met and married Ray nearly 55 years ago.

Both their roots in the area run deep.

Kathy is fiercely determined to continue living in her home of the last 50 years for as long as possible, thanks to the services she receives through her government-funded Home Care Package with Uniting AgeWell.

with Uniting AgeWell

“It’s my home,” she said.

“They can carry me out in a box one day.

“I never want to leave.”

Thanks to Uniting AgeWell, she doesn’t have to.

Working closely with Care Advisor Katina (Tina) Manousaki,

Kathy, who has chronic back pain and undergone spinal surgery, has used her Home Care Package to buy two mobility scooters – a little fold-away one they take with them to the shops, and a bigger one she uses for travelling along the streets.

Rails have been installed at various points around the home to assist with her safety, the bathroom has been especially adjusted and a ramp installed to make access into the house easier.

Kathy also receives personal care as well as help

around the home.

“Tina listens to what I need and then somehow makes it all happen,” Kathy said.

“It’s a good life.

“I’m very grateful to Uniting AgeWell for making it so easy for us to stay at home.”

To find out how you can be supported to live safely and independently at home as you age, call Uniting AgeWell’s Hume Home Care team at the Wangaratta office on (03) 8527 5880 or visit unitingagewell. org.

◆ INDEPENDENT LIVING: Kathy Hazell, with her much loved poodle pup Milly, continues to live safely and independently at home thanks to the care and support she receives through Uniting AgeWell.

◆ PERSONALISED CARE: Kathy Hazell gets around on her mobility scooters she has bought through her home care package.

New face to lead Borinya

■ From page 1

Mr Buckley said he was excited to be stepping into his seven-year term at Borinya, following one of his teaching mentors in Ms O’Reilly.

Borinya, based in College Street, gives young people the opportunity to be part of a supportive learning community during a time in their lives when they may be struggling with social or emotional challenges, or when mainstream education does not meet their needs.

“I was drawn to the role because I have a passion for working with young people who find school a challenge,” he said.

“That was solidified by seeing the effects of Nitor, and knowing that schools can be flexible and can make a difference.

“Catholic education can offer a space for positive relation-

ships to thrive, and if you get the relationships right, good learning can follow.

“In the mainstream system, it’s a catch-all; here it’s more based on the individual, and meeting young people where they’re at.

“Really, it’s what Catholic education is about - ensuring that there’s space at the table for everyone.”

Mr Buckley said Borinya aimed to give families and young people “light at the end of the tunnel” - whether that may be moving back to mainstream schooling, or following a pathway to further education.

“I was involved in the transition of a student from Catholic College Wodonga who now hopes to go on and study teaching post-VCE; it’s a real success

story, and I know there are lots of others like it,” he said.

Having that knowledge of Borinya from his time working in the Sandhurst diocese, Mr Buckley said his move into the principalship had been smooth during this term’s changeover period, and had allowed him to “hit the ground running”.

“Going to a new school where you don’t know the community can be hard, but it’s been a good transition,” he said.

“I’ve been able to do things like spend time in the kitchen here and getting to know everyone.”

He said he was looking forward to leading the school during a period of change, which would include a master plan process currently at workshop stage, to prepare for Borinya’s next 10 years.

For more information please contact:

Amy Ratcliffe 5723 0134 aratcliffe@nemedia.com.au

Jess Clough 5723 0128 jclough@nemedia.com.au

View the previous editions

◆ ATTUNED TO THE VALUES: Eamonn Buckley, Borinya Wangaratta Community Partnership’s new principal, is looking forward to leading the school for the next seven years.

PHOTO: Simone Kerwin

ABC ENT (23)

NorthEast JOBS

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GREAT JOBS FOR GREAT PEOPLE

The following opportunities now exist for enthusiastic, safety focused people with suitable experience and qualifications. Please visit our website to find out more about current positions available across Mawsons business divisions.

Lake Boga Vic – Quarry Operator – LKBQ002

Wangaratta Vic – Concrete Truck Driver – WANG002

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Berrigan NSW – Weighbridge Clerk – FUZQ004

2 x Teaching Positions

Term 3, 2024

Outdoor School – Bogong Campus

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Further information is available on Recruitment Online, or by contacting Roger Blackwell on 0417 202 578. Applications close 31/5/2024 at 5pm.

Journalist

Career Opportunity

Full Time

North East Media, an award-winning publisher of community newspapers, has a full time position for a graded journalist based in our Myrtleford office in North East Victoria.

We are seeking a journalist with previous country newspaper experience to produce our weekly Myrtleford Times and Alpine Observer, servicing the picturesque Alpine Shire communities of Myrtleford, Bright and Mt Beauty.

The position requires a journalist with a strong work ethic and well-rounded skill set, who has a passion for community newspapers and a real desire to work with volunteer contributors.

Excellent writing, editing, photographic, communication, time management and organisational skills, and the ability to generate ideas into relevant news coverage that matters most to a local readership, will be among your strongest attributes.

The ability to use social media and deliver high quality work under deadline pressure are also a must.

The successful applicant must also have a valid driver’s licence.

North East Media is an independent media group publishing award winning publications in print and online across North East Victoria and beyond. Applications, including covering letter and resume, should be forwarded to:

Jeff Zeuschner

Group Editor North East Media jzeuschner@nemedia.com.au

Your local Wangaratta Chronicle has brought together local employers and local employees for generations ...and it is no different today. People prefer to work close to home, to save on transport costs, the frustration of travel and to be closer to family. Both our printed and digital newspapers have a highly engaged local audience looking for news, sport, local information ...and jobs every week! Then give us the job...

PRODUCTION OPERATOR

Full time opportunity

An opportunity has arisen for a production operator to join one of Victoria and NSW’s leading independent news and media groups, based at our Wangaratta and digital properties across our group. The successful applicant will be responsible for producing newspaper layouts, pre-pressing pages for print, and basic IT troubleshooting. Skills and Experience

• (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)

• • • and to tight deadlines

digital channels, including websites, be advantage but is not essential.

an energetic and stimulating environment, we would encourage you to apply. Applications should be forwarded to: Kelly Lovell

Creative Services Manager North East Media Pty Ltd klovell@nemedia.com.au

Setting apprentices up for life with right gear

THE Kincrome Tools for Life Program is back on and aims to set apprentices up for the best start to their career.

The program is filled with a broad range of tool kits to suit any apprentice from a variety of trades.

Tool kits within the program are designed with the apprentice in mind and range from simple chest tool kits to large workshop tool kits with over 500 pieces.

If an apprentice purchases one of the tool kits from the Tools for Life Program, they will also qualify for a free redemption product.

With 24 tool kits from the Evolution, Con-

tour and Off-Road ranges, the potential is limitless.

This includes the Evolution 277 piece Workshop Tool Kit.

This tool kit has many premium features and trade tough tools for the professional user with a price that is also suitable for the home user.

The Evolution range is designed in Australia and allows for value for money without compromising quality.

For more information on the Tools for Life Program, visit https://www.kincrome. com.au/tfl

Be bone smart

DID you know we have over 200 bones that need our care to stay healthy and strong?

Bone health is something we often take for granted until we face a problem.

Our bones are amazing–they’re flexible yet strong, allowing us to move and protecting our vital organs.

During childhood, our bones grow, they have a big growth spurt during adolescence, and in adulthood, they’re constantly being rebuilt in a process called ‘remodelling.’

But when bones become weaker and less dense, the risk of fractures increases.

Poor bone health causes over 173,000 broken bones each year.

Alarmingly, more than 1 million Australians have osteoporosis.

Among those aged 50 and over, 66 per cent have osteoporosis or osteopenia (low bone density).

Many conditions and some medications can affect bone health, and factors like family history, diet, and lifestyle also play a role.

Here are some specific risk factors:

• Being female.

• Having a relative with an osteoporotic fracture.

• Inadequate dietary calcium.

• Low vitamin D levels.

• Cigarette smoking.

• Alcohol intake over two standard drinks per day.

• Caffeine intake over three cups of coffee per day.

• Lack of physical activity.

• Early menopause (before age 45).

• Loss of menstrual period linked to reduced estrogen (vital for healthy bones), often due to excessive dieting and exercise.

• Long-term use of medications like corticosteroids

YOUR HEALTH

for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.

• Thyroid disease or an overactive thyroid gland.

• Rheumatoid arthritis.

• Chronic liver and kidney disease.

• Certain eating disorders.

• Conditions affecting nutrient absorption, such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and other inflammatory bowel conditions.

So, what can you do to protect your bones?

Here are some tips:

• Eat a healthy, varied diet rich in calcium.

• Get enough vitamin D

• Avoid smoking.

• Limit alcohol and caffeine consumption.

• Engage in regular weightbearing and strengthtraining exercises.

If you recognise any of the risk factors in yourself, the best step is to talk to your GP about your bone health. They can work with you to keep your bones as strong as possible for as long as possible.

◆ BONE SMART: It’s important to keep your bones healthy.

◆ CAREER HEADSTART: The Tools for Life program ensures apprentices have everything they need to start their careers.

with Dean Ackerly NORTH EAST FASTENERS

with Teresa McMahon SOUTH WANGARATTA MEDICAL CENTRE