Wangaratta Chronicle 010323

Wangaratta talents named in Bushrangers squad

ON THE HUNT

Solar upsize aim

PROPONENTS behind a solar farm at North Wangaratta are looking to upsize, increasing the facility from a 33MW capacity to 40MW.

A planning permit for a renewable energy facility was granted by Wangaratta council in 2016 and since then Clean Peak Energy has purchased an adjacent 17.5 hectare parcel of industrial land at 109 WangarattaEldorado Road, North Wangaratta.

Clean Peak Energy buys 17.5ha to lift capacity to 40MW Cl n P k Enrg y b y 17.5h t lift p ity t 40MW

BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au

Close to the corner of Bowser Road and Coleman Road is the North Wangaratta Family Motel - a small commercial motel that previously objected to the expansion of the solar facility.

To the south of the site over WangarattaEldorado Road is the North Wangaratta Industrial Precinct and immediately to the northwest of the site is the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail.

As part of the proposed expansion of the facility, a review of the existing native vegetation to be retained and removed across the whole site has been undertaken.

A native vegetation report has been prepared by a qualified consultant outlining a holistic approach to addressing the remnant native vegetation, with the aim of maximising both the biodiversity values and the layout of solar arrays across the site.

The amendment states that the new parcel of land is “largely devoid of remnant vegetation” and

several native trees along the boundary will be retained to offset the removal of others.

However, to create “greater efficiencies and generation capacity” across the whole site, the report proposes the removal of an additional 19 scattered remnant native trees, on top of the 14 (plus one dead tree) already approved.

The plan shows the proposed expansion of

the solar ‘arrays’ into the northern half of the new parcel of land.

Solar arrays are located in blocks with orientation to maximise solar exposure and space between them for maintenance and emergency vehicles to traverse the site.

A continuation of the perimeter firebreak and access track is proposed along the western boundary of the new parcel where it abuts 210 Bourke Road.

■ Continued page 2

IT’S time to get into the Easter spirit with (from left) Bernie Sharp, Peter Joyce, Olivia Joyce (9), Adam Torpey, Harrison Joyce (3), Tahnisha Seng, Sally Wohlers and Bree McClen ahead of the upcoming family day. Story page 2.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

Clean Peak Energy buys 17.5ha to lift capacity to 40MW

■ From page 1

A landscape buffer will also be planted along this boundary to reduce any visual impact from the solar arrays on the existing dwelling located in the southwest corner of the adjacent property.

As the Hume Freeway and other roads are near the development, a solar photovoltaic glint and glare study found that reflections would be possible towards road users on about 3km of road but they would be “fleeting in nature” and classified as “lowmoderate”.

Up to five dwellings could be affected for 20 minutes per day, but this impact was classified as low.

The Rural City of Wangaratta Council will not decide on the application before March 14.

Est. 1884, Incorporating Wangaratta Despatch, Est. 1861

WEATHER

TEMPERATURES:

Wednesday

Spreading Easter cheer in the sweetest way

By RYAN MALCOLM

MORE than 3000 easter eggs are set to be strewn across the Barr Reserve in early April, as part of a major family fun day aimed at raising funds to support sick children in the local area.

The event, which is entering its fifth year, was established by OBrien Real Estate Joyce, with an eye to giving children an outlet during the Easter period.

All funds raised through the initiative are forwarded directly

to Northeast Health Wangaratta’s (NHW) paediatric ward, with last year’s haul supporting the hospital in purchasing a streaming device and VR headset for use throughout the ward.

NHW chief executive officer, Libby Fifis, said funds raised this year would support the purchase of additional diversion play therapy equipment, which she said will brighten the hospital experience for young patients.

“We’re very grateful to OBrien Real Estate Joyce and the com-

munity for their continued support of our paediatric ward as part of their Easter egg hunt,” she said.

“Many children aren’t able to fully enjoy Easter when they are sick or in hospital, so we try to bring a little Easter magic into our paediatric ward.”

The event is set to run from 4pm on April 6 at the Barr Reserve number two oval, with registrations for an egg hunt featuring 33,500 Cadbury eggs available via OBrien Real Estate Joyce’s Facebook page.

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One golden egg will also be placed among the fray, with one winner set to be gifted a $50 voucher to a local store of their choice.

Multiple food vendors will be available on the evening, as will a variety of entertainment for children and families.

A gold coin donation is required for entry, although attendees are urged to dig deep for the cause.

For more information, search OBrien Real Estate Joyce on Facebook.

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Settle in for Pangerang’s free movie nights

A SERIES of free familyfriendly movie nights across the Rural City of Wangaratta will celebrate the launch of Pangerang Community Hub’s new mobile community hub.

The first session will be held this Friday, when ‘The Bad Guys’ will screen at Glenrowan Recreation Reserve, while locals can enjoy the Sunday evening before the Labour Day public holiday, March 12, by watching ‘Sing 2’ at the Bill Eaton Athletics Complex in Appin Street.

Further movie events will be held in April at Eldorado, Whitfield, Tarrawingee and Whorouly.

Project worker Allison Winters said the movie nights would be a great chance for community members and families to gather, and also for Pangerang to raise awareness of activities and programs set to run via the mobile community hub.

The project, which has received Federal Government support through the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grant Program, will take activities and programs coordinated by the Ovens Street neighbourhood

EYES ON THE SILVER SCREEN: Tennille Hall, Charley Hall and Allison Winters have their popcorn ready for Pangerang Community Hub’s upcoming movie nights, which begin with a screening of ‘The Bad Guys’ at Glenrowan Recreation Reserve on Friday evening.

house to community members and groups in Wangaratta and neighbouring towns including Glenrowan, Eldorado, Whitfield and Milawa.

The hub will also play a vital role at future relief centres, in the event of an evacuation due to emergency.

“The mobile community hub

will run activities for children, families and adults in a supportive environment, with a focus on early recovery,” Allison said.

“We can provide digital support, art and activity packs for children and adults, and run art workshops, gaming and cinema sessions.”

Pangerang Community Hub

executive officer Tennille Hall said the mobile hub would also provide practical supports to evacuees, including access to internet, digital devices, and support to access government services and assistance.

“We hope by spending a lot of time out with the van in the region, delivering programs and hosting events, that if in the worst of circumstances people find themselves at an evacuation centre, there is something or someone that feels familiar, a place to go, to connect and to find support,” she said.

Doors open at 7pm on Friday for the free movie session at Glenrowan Recreation Reserve, and at 7pm on Sunday, March 12 for the session at Bill Eaton Athletics Complex.

Food, drinks and familyfriendly activities will be available, and community members are encouraged to bring a picnic, camp chairs, bean bags and whatever else will make them comfortable at the outdoor cinema experience.

For more information, contact Pangerang Community Hub on 5721 3813.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

JOIN US: (From left) Bernie Sharp, Peter Joyce, Olivia Joyce (9), Adam Torpey, Harrison Joyce (3), Tahnisha Seng, Sally Wohlers and Bree McClen invite you to join the Easter bunny at the upcoming family day on April 6 at the Barr Reserve.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

Drug-user urged to get on straight and narrow following shotgun threats

A TEENAGER who breached an intervention order by visiting his partner weeks after being arrested in possession of a sawn-off shotgun has been urged to break away from a cycle of drug use.

The 19-year-old faced Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to serious charges including possession of illicit drugs, firearms and ammunition, as well as breaches of bail and an active intervention order.

The accused was last year bailed to his father’s Canberra address, after threatening to commit self-harm with a sawn-off shotgun at a Lowe Court address on July 8, with an intervention order subsequently granted preventing the accused from attending within 100m of his former partner’s home.

The court heard police had later located shotgun shells in the home’s main bedroom and inside the accused’s car, as well as on the front lawn of a Kanana Crescent address, after remanding the accused in custody.

Hopes for “final nail in coffin” for duck shooting

Animal Justice MP wants inquiry to lead to ban on duck shooting qyg

ANIMAL Justice Party MP

Georgie Purcell is hoping an inquiry into native bird hunting will be the death knell for duck shooting in Victoria.

Minister for Outdoor Recreation Sonya Kilkenny announced on Friday that the Labor Government will move to establish a Legislative Council Select Committee to examine recreational native bird hunting in Victoria.

The committee will have wideranging terms of reference, including the operation of the annual recreational native bird hunting seasons, arrangements in other Australian jurisdictions, their environmental sustainability and impact on amenity, and their social and economic impact.

BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au

However the MP for Northern Victoria said this select committee should have been established years ago.

“It will be too late for the thousands of birds that will be killed this season, along with the habitat destruction that the shooters often leave behind,” Ms Purcell said.

“However, I will be doing everything I possibly can to be a member, and ensure this inquiry is the final nail in the coffin.”

The government confirmed

on Friday that a five-week duck hunting season would commence on April 26 and hunters will have to abide by a four bird bag limit. While pro-duck hunting groups were complaining about the short season, Ms Purcell said she was “deeply disturbed and disgusted” by the Andrews Government’s “pitiful decision” to allow a 2023 duck shooting season to go ahead.

“Restricted length and bag limits mean nothing when shooters have proven themselves time and time again to be lawless,” Ms Purcell said.

“The premier has just committed to another year of carnage and cruelty on our wetlands and

Police urge action over break-in spike

By RYAN MALCOLM

A SERIES of residential break-ins throughout Wangaratta in recent weeks have prompted police to urge locals to remain proactive in securing their homes.

Wangaratta crime prevention officer, Leading Senior Constable Helen Parfett, said local officers were aware of a number of alleged break-ins at properties in the local area, particularly in the city’s west end, in recent weeks, and said simple measures could be undertaken to deter would-be thieves.

“We want to remind the community to ensure that all their doors and windows are locked when their property is

unattended, even if only for a short period of time,” she said.

“Ensure that all doors and windows are locked and secured during the night to prevent unwanted persons entering your home whilst you are sleeping.

“Monitor CCTV cameras and report any incidents, and make sure vehicles are locked and all valuables removed.

“We need to prevent opportunity thefts from occurring and in order to do that we all need to take responsibility for our own property and make sure it is secured and valuables out of sight.”

With an increasing number of reports being made public on social media, LSC Parfett said homeowners should

always contact police in the event of a break-in, particularly if they have CCTV footage, and said police did not want community members taking matters into their own hands.

She said while police were aware of a number of residential thefts, opportunistic thefts at storage sheds were also a key concern for officers.

According to LSC Parfett, sheds in Kerr Street were the subject of a series of break-ins in early February.

“We remind tenants to ensure that their shed is secured with a heavy duty padlock that can’t be easily cut, not to leave valuable items in storage and to visit the storage shed regularly to check that it is secured,” she said.

once again volunteers will be forced to clean up the mess.

“The government had all the information available to them to do the right thing, and they know that the majority of Victorians strongly oppose duck shooting.”

Public hearings will be held by the committee to hear from hunting associations, animal welfare groups, and regional communities during the consultation period.

A motion to establish the committee will be moved by the government in the Legislative Council during the next sitting week (from March 7), and subject to its passage, a final report will be due to be tabled by August 31, 2023.

According to police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Stuart Pritchard, the defendant had driven from Canberra to the Lowe Court address on August 4, three days after being released on bail, before attempting to escape police in a Mazda vehicle with the assistance of another man.

Defence counsel Geoff Clancy said his client had been “heading in a very poor direction,” with drugs a key factor, particularly after he was intercepted in June last year driving while under the influence of cannabis and with more than 90 grams of the drug inside the vehicle.

Mr Clancy said his client had almost no recollection of the shotgun incident and had been “psychotic”, but had since straightened his life out, gaining employment and his own accommodation in Canberra.

Magistrate Peter Mithen said it was clear drugs had played a key role in the accused’s offending, and noted he was yet to hear of illegal narcotics providing a positive outcome for an individual fronting the court.

He imposed a 12 month good behaviour bond, a sentence he admitted was an “unusually lenient” way of managing the offending.

“You’re only a young bloke but you got yourself in a mess of trouble,” he said.

“These sorts of offences are just going to wreck your life, and they’re happening because of drugs.

“Get on the straight and narrow, and get back into a positive way of thinking of yourself.”

SAVE THE DUCKS: Georgie Purcell has wanted the abolition of duck shooting for some time before becoming MP and with an inquiry into the practice and support in the upper house, it’s the closest its been to happening.

Former lodge set to be cafe

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

By STEVEN BURKE

DEVELOPERS plan to open a café and shop at the former Masonic Lodge in Ovens Street on August 1.

Rural City of Wangaratta approval was granted for the development at last week’s council meeting, though developer, Dean Rees, must submit a revised car park layout before work commences.

Three objections were made to the planning permit application, with concerns raised over the loss of privacy to surrounding flats, and the loss of on-street car parking in the area, with objectors arguing the development would exacerbate existing problems in Ovens Street.

Sections of the former lodge have already been demolished and Mr Rees said construction work would begin next month.

He said it would be a stylish building with a large retail premises, but as yet he couldn’t reveal what would be sold at the shop.

The council permit allows for a reduction in the required parking spaces, with four spaces to be provided, instead of the seven usually required for a development of its size.

It also demands the applicant re-submit plans for the car park, showing space for an 8.8m truck to

do a three point turn and then exit the car park in a forward motion.

Councillors Don Joyce and Lisa McInerney spoke in favor of the application, while Cr Paul O’Brien spoke against it, then voted for the motion.

Cr Joyce said he was in favor of a new business starting.

“It’s good to have the development of a business, centrally located,” he said.

“It will provide employment opportunities.”

Cr O’Brien said he was happy to support the motion, but did ques-

tion why council was allowing a reduction in car parking spaces just a week after agreeing to spend money on building a car park.

“While supporting the development of this, one of the issues that comes out of this permit that we should go into with our eyes open, is that we are actually approving a car park reduction with this permit,” he said.

“The issue I have is when we approve reductions in car parking and then we are funding a very significant development at the other end with the Target extension.

Fundraiser for Afghan refugees in Eldorado

TWO local groups are planning a fundraiser in Eldorado on March 18 for Afghan people seeking safety.

Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR), together with the ecumenical refugee support network Wangaratta Refugee Advocacy and Action Network (WRAN) are planning a fundraiser for the Afghan allies they have been supporting since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.

The fundraising brunch and morning tea will be held at the Eldorado Food Share in Gunhouse Park from 10am to 12 noon on March 18.

“There is a process in council where we charge developers the cost of parking.

“I’m comfortable with supporting the motion but I would like to bring up with my fellow councillors at our next forum meeting, a discussion we need to have.”

At that point Mayor Rozi Parisotto asked Cr O’Brien to concentrate on the motion at hand.

He then added, “You’re in a dire situation where you push for development at the expense of car parking space. Ultimately the ratepayer will pay,” Cr O’Brien said.

Cakes, slices, crafts, preserves and plants will be available for sale (donations of sale items are invited), and there will also be an information stall.

Music will be provided by Sing Australia, with a French twist.

For further information, email Suzie Don Leonard at suziedl@westnet.com.au or Bern Fraser on dunmorin@ bigpond.com

Meanwhile, RAR will hold a vigil outside the office of Helen Haines (MHR, Indi) from 4.30pm this Friday, March 3, to raise the issue of the impact of temporary visas on refugees dealing with uncertainty.

CHANGING FACE: Approval has been granted for the former Masonic Lodge to be transformed into a shop and café.

Ladies in black to take centre stage

WANGARATTA Players are holding an information day for their upcoming musical “Ladies in Black” this Saturday, March 4 at 2pm at the Stage Door in Evans Street, Wangaratta.

With music and lyrics by Tim Finn, book by Carolyn Burns and based on Madeleine St John’s novel The Women in Black, this heart-warming story is set in Sydney in the 1950s when the city is on the cusp of becoming cosmopolitan.

A young high school gradu-

Sending the screening message

By BAILEY ZIMMERMANN

VITAL lessons in women’s health and cancer screening were learned and discussed among local multicultural community members at South Wangaratta Medical Centre and North East Multicultural Association’s (NEMA) cancer screening information session last Wednesday.

Around 20 interested community members attended the session followed by afternoon tea, many learning the about the opportunities offered in the community to participate in cancer screening for the first time.

Registered nurse from South Wangaratta Medical Centre Elizabeth Jesser talked to the group about the importance of cancer screening, particularly in cervical and breast screening for women.

Local Kulvir Kaur attended the information session and said the session taught her about the risks and treatments involved with women’s health issues such as cervical cancer.

“I wasn’t aware how exactly

ate Lisa takes a holiday job at Goodes, the most prestigious department store in town.

In that summer of innocence, a world of possibilities opens up as she befriends the ladies of the women’s frock department - including her new mentor, the exotic European Magda, mysterious mistress of the dresses.

Tim Finn’s songs range from Broadway-inspired numbers to true blue ballads, from witty patter songs to shares of blues and jazz standards and are beautifully integrated with the dra-

matic action and some priceless comic lyrics.

The Age newspaper called it ‘a unicorn of the stage: a fullblown, home-grown musical actually works’.

Experienced well-known local director and actress Colette Quin is directing the production which will be held at the Wangaratta Performing Art and Convention Centre (WPACC) on August 17, 18 and 19.

There are a minimum of 18 roles available for men and women in a variety of age

groups, as well as chorus members.

In addition to cast roles they are also looking for those with a ‘can-do’ attitude to assist backstage, with hair and make-up or to sew costumes.

Auditions will be held from March 19 and rehearsals will begin in May for the four performances in August.

If you are unable to make the information day but would like to know more or to book a time to audition, call Colette on 0410 577 846.

you get the infection and how it can get worse, I had no knowledge about that,” she said.

“How that infection stays in your body for longer and if it gets caught how the treatment can manage it, and if it never gets caught or never gets tested how it can affect you and turn into cancer.

“The other thing I wasn’t aware of was nowadays you can get injections for young people...

it was a coincidence because my daughter just got health injections at school, but I wasn’t aware what kind of injections they had.”

Ms Kaur moved to Australia from India 13 years ago and had her first daughter not long after.

Ms Kaur said it wasn’t until after having her first child she became aware of the treatments, screenings and cancer detections such as pap smears and breast

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screenings available to her in the country.

“There was a lot more information I was missing that I got to learn,” she said.

“There are big changes, in India still there are no injections available for young girls, in Australia they have these injections for young girls so they don’t catch viruses and can fight against these viruses.”

Ms Kaur said she would like to

All Seasons Pest

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The key to success in eradication of termites is to focus on and eliminate the colony. We recommend using the termite management and baiting system: Exterra, to create a unique termite interception zone around the perimeter of your valuable home. Safe for you and your pets, Exterra has been used in more than 40,000 Australian homes.

know as much as she can on the risks of cervical cancer and its detection methods in the chance it affects her.

“I’m a patient with South Wangaratta and nurse Liz had given me knowledge before on breast cancer screening and detection, so I’m going to go back soon because I have a few more questions I didn’t ask on the day but have thought of afterwards,” she said.

When it comes to termite control and eradication don’t wait until its too late, call us today

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SPREADING THE WORD: South Wangaratta Medical Centre

nurse Elizabeth Jesser and Pharmacist GP Kim Ching visited NEMA last week to help educate local multicultural community members on the importance of cancer screening opportunities offered locally for women.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

EXPERIENCED: Colette Quin will be directing the iconic Australian coming of age tale Ladies in Black in August.

PHOTO: Joanne Pane

Remove the welcome mat for thieves

ONLY local residents have the power to limit opportunistic thefts throughout the town, which have become increasingly common in recent months.

The country town Wangaratta once was is rapidly growing into an urban centre, and thieves throughout the area are more aggressively targeting residents who don’t take their own security seriously.

Instances of car thefts made easier by the fact the vehicle was left unlocked with the key in the ignition, or residential break-ins when a rear door was left unlocked, are increasingly making the news and leaving local police scratching their heads.

It’s a relaxed approach to home safety which perhaps would have been appropriate 30 years ago, but is becoming more and more problematic as populations in the North East grow, and while locals continue to be lax in their approach, it remains exceedingly unlikely opportunistic thieves will fail to capitalise.

Police have consistently urged locals to act in a preventative manner, in order to save valuable police resources fighting an uphill battle to manage the consequences of a theft of an unsecured item, and simple measures such as locking a door or implementing security lighting can have a profound effect on reducing your home’s risk level.

CCTV cameras can also be a cost-effective measure which provides important peace of mind.

It may not come naturally, and it may take repetition, but taking small steps towards securing your home could make the world of difference and prevent you from ruing your inaction.

Because you never know when a thief might catch you out.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

The Australian QuizNo.13

1 Which world champion surfer wrote the 2003 book, Pipe Dreams: A Surfer’s Journey?

(a) Mark Occhilupo

(b) Andy Irons

(c) Kelly Slater

(d) Mick Fanning

2 Guarani and which other language are the official languages of Paraguay?

(a) Spanish

(b) English

(c) French

(d) Portuguese

3 Which actor broke through from supporting roles to stardom with his role in the 1941 movie, High Sierra?

(a) Spencer Tracy

(b) Humphrey Bogart

(c) James Cagney

(d) Fred Astaire

4 Pablo Picasso painted a wellknown 1937 painting titled ‘The Weeping’ what?

(a) Lady

(b) Woman

(c) Musician

(d) Artist

5 Which of the following words is a synonym for the word, insouciant?

(a) Romantic

(b) Rude

(c) Pedantic

(d) Nonchalant

Flawed planning process leaves locals powerless

PLEASE wake up and take notice if you want to leave the farmland in this region for our future generations.

We definitely shouldn’t be putting solar farms on the best farmland.

These are the lower reaches of the King Valley where all the rich alluvial settlements have been deposited over thousands of years and even lend themselves to grow basically anything if you add irrigation.

It is disappointing that Independent MP for Indi Helen Haines says the official planning process and the application for development period and the first step of appropriate process is yet to take place.

This is a complete furphy.

Huge multinational companies backed by state and federal money single out small communities that have lost proper process to local government as our elected council has no real say or vote on it.

It is the state minister who makes the decision so what hope have we got when we have our democracy taken of us and more than 80 per cent of Victorians live in Melbourne.

If the Victorian Government had any sense they would build a hydro plant at Lake Buffalo where there are power transmission lines within a short distance.

Malcolm Carson, Docker

The Voice proposal is just not that simple

DOUG Cooper (letter February 24, “More detail needed before voting on voice”) is not convinced The Voice is without pitfalls and asks for the correct interpretation.

The answer is that’s our decision based on what we know rather than what we’re led to believe.

To assess Doug’s concerns we need more than the government websites offered in the editor’s note following the letter, needing to read more widely on this important initiative.

For example underneath the tile @ AlboMP posted ‘Recognition and consultation. It’s that simple’, which is wholly misleading because it is clearly much more than that.

6 Tempura is a Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been cooked in what way?

(a) Deep fried

(b) Boiled

(c) Steamed

(d) Grilled

7 Who was named Player of the Series for the 2022 ODI series between Australia and Pakistan?

(a) Adam Zampa

(b) Babar Azam

(c) Ben McDermott

(d) Imam-ul-Haq

8 What is the name of New Zealand’s territorial claim in Antarctica?

(a) Jean Batten Land

(b) Marie Byrd Land

(c) Rutherford Dependency

(d) Ross Dependency

9 The 2022 album, Run, Rose, Run, is the forty-eighth solo studio album by which artist?

(a) Dolly Parton

(b) Bob Dylan

(c) Jackson Browne

(d) Joni Mitchell

10Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated during which decade?

(a) 1980s

(b) 1990s

(c) 2000s

(d) 2010s

Many of us have a problem with inserting collective rights of any kind, particularly ones based on race, into the Constitution.

What is proposed is a body that has the Constitutional authority to make representations to government and to the parliament on any current or proposed action or law that affects ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’, which is pretty much everything.

Particularly anything to do with the land.

Mike Burston, Myrrhee

The ratepayers deserve a better pool deal

YES Mr Ken Clarke (letters February 24) makes a lot of good points especially in regards to the pool being built for the ratepayers I have often wondered who at council will take responsibility for the millions that will be

wasted at

state of attendance.

I believe all who attend the WSAC should be treated with respect and all spoken to and informed on what is going on, especially ratepayers who will ultimately be covering any financial losses.

It is their money after all.

Ron Harrigan, Wangaratta

WE welcome your letters to the Editor. Priority is given to typed/emailed letters under 250 words. Every letter must have your full name, address and a daytime phone contact number supplied for verification purposes. Any letter may be edited for reasons of space,

1 (c) Kelly Slater 2 (a) Spanish 3 (b) Humphrey Bogart 4 (b) Woman 5 (d) Nonchalant 6 (a) Deep fried 7 (b) Babar Azam 8 (d) Ross Dependency 9 (a) Dolly Parton

10 (b) 1990s

STAR LIGHT STAR BRIGHT: LOCAL photographer Jodie Kuhne captured this amazing photo on Monday night of the aurora. Jodie said that it was a super rare and strong display, with part of the sky lit up pink that was visible to the naked eye.

$250 Power Saving Bonus on offer again

EVERY Victorian will be able to access a new round of the $250 Power Saving Bonus from March 24.

People will be able to access the payment people when they visit the Labor Government’s bill-busting Victorian Energy Compare website.

Since the current round of the $250 Power Saving Bonus launched on July 1, 2022, more than 1.7 million households have received the cost of living support.

Cody is Wangaratta Lions’ Youth of the Year

CODY Lepoidevin is on his way to Sunday’s Lions Youth of the Year region final, after taking out the Wangaratta round on Friday.

The 16-year-old Wangaratta High School student will represent Wangaratta at the region final in Tangambalanga, and if successful will proceed to the district final in Lavington.

Wangaratta Lions Club will host the state final of the competition on April 1, with the winner of this section to go on to compete in the national final on

May 1 on the Gold Coast.

Geoff Turnbull, a member of the three-person judging panel which selected Cody as the winner of the Wangaratta round, said the process for Youth of the Year participants involved a private, in-depth interview, followed by a couple of impromptu questions, and a five-minute prepared speech, each in front of an audience.

“Cody showed himself to be a person of great integrity, resilience and with a

strong community spirit,” Mr Turnbull said.

“He spoke confidently and passionately about a range of topics and interests, and we wish him well for the next stage of the competition.”

The Lions Youth of the Year competition is open to all school students aged between 14 and 18.

All local high schools are invited to encourage their students to enter the Wangaratta competition when it runs again in 2024.

Premier Daniel Andrews said Victoria has cut its emissions by more than any other state, tripled the amount of renewable energy and created thousands of clean energy jobs - but there is more to do, and that is why they have set a renewable energy target of 95 per cent by 2035.

He said to help meet this target, the government is reviving the State Electricity Commission and bringing back government owned renewable energy - to drive down energy costs and help create 59,000 jobs.

“We know Victorians are doing it tough with the rising cost of energy - that’s why we’ll have a new round of the $250 Power Saving Bonus, putting money in families’ pockets and making sure they’re on the best deal,” he said.

“We’re driving down bills

and putting power back in Victorians’ hands by bringing back the SEC and delivering cheap, clean, sustainable energy.”

The Labor Government is also reducing cost of living stress through the new Energy Assistance Program, a free service providing energy consumers experiencing hardship with one-on-one assistance.

The Energy Assistance Program is a $3.75 million initiative that will help Victorians struggling with power bills to navigate the energy market, apply for eligible grants and concessions, find and switch to better offers and address billing errors.

For those without internet access, over-the-phone and in-person support is available through one of our Community Outreach Partners, including Brotherhood of St Laurence, Ethnic Community Council Victoria, Good Shepherd, State Trustees and hundreds of Neighbourhood Houses across Victoria.

Victorians can also save on their household energy bills through the $1.3 billion Solar Homes Program by installing solar PV systems, batteries, solar hot water and heat pumps.

To access the $250 Power Saving Bonus, visit compare. energy.vic.gov.au or call 1800 000 832.

To speak to an Energy Assistance Program advocate, call 1800 161 215.

SO PROUD: Wangaratta Lions Club Youth of the Year chairman Steve Kazenwadel with local winner Cody Lepoidevin and his proud mum, Stacey.

$5000 cost for fast food fracas

A WANGARATTA man who took his anger out on the drive-thru speaker of a Wangaratta restaurant after being denied entry has been ordered to pay more than $5000 in fines and compensation.

Appearing at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Monday, the accused man pleaded guilty to damaging property, after visiting the Ryley Street fast food restaurant around 4.30am on October 30 last year.

Police prosecutor Constable Imogen Akers said the accused had been informed by staff the restaurant was only open for drive thru customers at that time, and the accused promptly walked to the drivethru speaker and attempted to place an order.

Staff told the accused he could not place an order unless he was in a car, at which time he was said to have kicked the speaker twice, causing it to bend over.

A second man, who Cnst Akers said had been unable to be identified, was alleged to have kicked the speaker to the ground.

A store manager reported the incident to police and identified the accused, who was intercepted by police shortly after.

Defending himself in court, the accused said he had been drinking in the CBD before attempting to get some food, and had been in a bad mood.

He said he had enquired about attending Alcoholics’ Anonymous and admitted he believed he had trouble handling his alcohol, after previously appearing before the courts having damaged RSPCA fences in an attempt to retrieve his dog.

“I ended up flipping out and made a very stupid decision,” he said of his behaviour at the restaurant.

Magistrate Peter Dunn urged the accused to address his drinking behaviour but did not convict him, instead fining him $2500 and ordering a further $2579 be paid to the restaurant in compensation.

SOAKING UP THE ACTION: Colin Ludlow, Edward Vechaz and Juliana McEwan loved the chance to watch the Northeast Radio Control Car Club’s display.

OFF AND RACING: St John’s Respect Aged Care residents enjoy a display by the

SOARING INTEREST: Wangaratta Aero Modellers’ Geoff Mitchell with part of the group’s display at St John’s.

SPECTATORS: Thelma Knox and Helen Guilfoyle were among the crowd enjoying the hobby expo.

Planes, trains and automobiles on show at St John’s Respect

By SIMONE KERWIN

THREE radio control clubs from the region joined forces on Thursday to stage a hobby expo for the entertainment of residents at St John’s Respect Aged Care.

Northeast Radio Control Car Club, Chiltern Railroaders and Modellers, and Wangaratta Aero Modellers prep ared di splays around the entrance and car park of the Williams Road facil-

ity, to the delight of residents and staff.

Ron Lugg from Northeast Radio Control Car Club said the group was happy to see people out enjoying the action.

“There were a lot of happy men and women, we had applause and thanks, which we appreciated, from people who enjoyed reliving past times,” he said.

“We spoke to a few people who had model cars growing up and

really enjoyed the chance to see them in action.”

Wangaratta Aero Modellers’

Geoff Mitchell said the event was very well-received, and enjoyable to be involved in.

Carolyn Taylor, social care coordinator at St John’s, said it was fantastic following COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions to have an event like the hobby expo for residents to enjoy.

Northeast Radio Control Car

Club will hold its next event on Saturday at its track in Mitchell Avenue.

The day will see the staging of the final of the summer Kysoho Championship, where awards and trophies from Winton Motor Raceway and Hobbies Direct will be presented.

Racing starts at the Mitchell Avenue track (adjacent to the splash park) at 11am, and runs through until 1pm.

Australia.

Northeast Radio Control Car Club.

ON SHOW: Chiltern Railroaders and Modellers members Keith Grigsby, Doug Hayman and John Wild with their display at Thursday’s expo.

LIFE IN MINIATURE: Former truck driver Max Moore takes a look at a smaller version of the rigs he used to drive, which was created using a 3D printer by the Chiltern Railroaders and Modellers, who were part of the hobby expo at St John’s. PHOTOS: Kurt Hickling

Handweavers and spinners 50th anniversay celebration

WANGARATTA

Handweavers and Spinners Guild held a luncheon at Winton on Tuesday as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations.

Dianne Adams, the co-ordinator of the various activities planned for 2023, was delighted to welcome 53 spinners and weavers from across the North East region.

In addition to members from Wangaratta Handweavers and Spinners, there were groups representing Shepparton, AlburyWodonga, Benalla, Beechworth and Cobram.

It was a special honour to welcome back Susan Campbell OAM from Benalla, the first president.

Susan spoke to the group about the recent installation of the sculpture walk which is a feature of Winton Wetlands.

She then cut the anniversary cake which was decorated with sheep busy crafting with wool.

Current office bearers for Wangaratta Handweavers & Spinners - Annie Longmuir (treasurer), Maureen Titcumb (president), Irene O’Neill (secretary), Dianne Adams (50th anniversary coordinator).

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Susan Campbell OAM from Benalla, the first president of the Wangaratta Handweavers & Spinners when the group was formed in 1973, was asked to cut the decorated 50th birthday cake.

Albury-Wodonga Spinners and weavers who attended the celebration included Louise Quirk, Rhonda Delahoy, Jane Manning, Joe Hofer and Julie Hofer.

Janette Mackenzie (Wangaratta), Beth Davidson (Beechworth), Wendy Beer (Wangaratta), Gurli Nielsen (Wangaratta), and Sue Royle (Wangaratta) shared many memories and enjoyed the chance to catch up on news.

Joe Matera to visit the Wangaratta Library

Musician, music journalist and author Joe Matera will talk about his book Backstage Pass: the grit and the glamour at the Wangaratta Library on Friday evening at 6.30pm.

Joe Matera has played guitar with some of music’s big names and his interviews have appeared in magazines across the globe.

Join Joe as he shares stories and gives the audience a peek into the sometimes not so glamourous life of a music journalist, with bookings essential for the free event and tickets available by calling 5721 2366.

Wangaratta Cup Day racing

EXPERIENCE the thrill of country racing when the 2023 Winsec Savings and Loans

Wangaratta Cup Day Races are held on Saturday at the Wangaratta Racecourse.

There will on-course entertainment including fashions on the field, live music and kid’s activities with plenty of outside grandstand seating for those looking to watch the races from an undercover spot. Gates will open at 11am and shuttle buses are available to and from the course.

yourstars

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Sometimes a setback gives you a chance to get a sharper perspective on the situation at hand. Your cheerful nature will help you override this temporary disappointment. What you learn from this pays off soon.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Be careful not to charge into something you don’t fully understand. Being asked to act on trust might be all right, as long as you can trust the one who asks.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A chance for romance beckons from someone you thought was far out of reach. But Cupid can always come up with a shortcut. How you respond to the situation determines how the relationship develops.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A career move seems more likely now than when you first considered it. Some of your plans will need readjusting as new facts emerge. Be careful that you don’t allow jealousy to create an unnecessary obstacle.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your love for beautiful things is part of what makes you the fine feline you are. But a little caution is advisable for a while. Resist the urge to splurge until your money signs look a little better.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A coworker could be trying to undermine you. Resist the temptation to retaliate. Instead, keep careful records of what you do so that you’ll be ready to present a strong position when the time comes.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Family problems have been simmering for a while and could soon boil over. Avoid taking sides. There are many facts you don’t know yet. Meanwhile, a business decision proves to be more complicated than you expected.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21)

Cupid’s arrow can pierce hearts, but it can’t open tight lips. Only you can do that. That special someone you’ve been silently pining for all this time would love to hear you express those feelings.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Well-meaning friends might try to persuade you to give up on that project that seems to have hit a dead end. Someone will take notice, and your persistence will pay off.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) It’s one thing to make a difficult decision, but you also have to stick with it, despite any pressures to get you to change your mind. You need to reassure someone you care for that you can keep your commitments.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) This is a good time for you to remember to be good to yourself. A trip to a place that was once very special in your life reawakens many precious memories, and soon leads to making new ones.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) An old health problem flares up and needs attention. Also, a chilly reaction from a once-warm friend needs to be confronted. Set the record straight before it’s too late to save the friendship.

CLASSIC STORY: The Australian Ballet Education and Outreach Team will perform a free concert of Romeo & Juliet and the Wangaratta Peforming Arts and Convention Centre tomorrow at 5pm, with all welcome to attend.

Free concert tomorrow of Romeo and Juliet ballet

THE community is invited to come and enjoy a modern take on a literary and ballet classic when the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre and The Australian Ballet Education and Outreach Team present a free afternoon concert of Romeo & Juliet tomorrow afternoon at 5pm.

Returning to Wangaratta this year, The Australian Ballet Education and Outreach Team is presenting a range of community and school programs this week, exploring the world of ballet as well as learning about elements such as costume design, music and storytelling through dance.

New Kids On The Block exhibition

WANGARATTA Art Gallery is providing a valuable ten-month professional development opportunity culminating in an exhibition celebrating the achievements and supporting the talents of local future creatives.

Opening this Saturday, New Kids on the Block features the work of Ruby Bittner, Sara Cope, Milly Hodges and Nick Richards and it will run until April 2.

The gallery is committed to making New Kids on the Block an annual exhibition acknowledging the recipients of the Friends of the Wangaratta Art Gallery Student Award and finalists.

Workshops will be held with four local schools and also involve childcare, adult ballet, teachers’ professional development, seniors and the Wangaratta Library.

The visiting team will also perform an innovative version of Romeo & Julie, set in the Pop Art culture of the 1980s, at the Alpine MDF Theatre on Thursday.

The Montagues and Capulets are two feuding families whose children Romeo and Juliet fall in forbidden love.

They marry in secret and when Juliet learns she is pledged to marry of her father’s choice, a fight breaks out and leads to the death of a Capulet

Information on low energy-use homes

JOIN Wangaratta Landcare and Sustainability and the Rural City of Wangaratta for an information session this Saturday morning at the Wangaratta Library, learning how to build or make your home or rental more energy efficient, and save money on electricity bills.

It will run from 10.30am until 12pm with the opportunity to enjoy morning tea and chat to other locals while sharing energy saving tips and pick up a free ‘Energy Efficient Design Features’ checklist, with Sustainability Victoria to make a presentation on the 7 Star Homes pilot program at 11am.

The event is free and all are welcome.

for which Romeo is banished.

In a desperate attempt to be reunited with Romeo, Juliet fakes her own death, sending news of it to Romeo which he never receives.

Believing Juliet is dead, Romeo takes his own life and Juliet upon awakening takes hers.

In suffering, peace is made between the two families and they realise that love should conquer all.

This 30-minute modern retelling explores themes such as fate, choice, love, prejudice and family, with four professional dancers and bright Pop Art inspired costumes and set.

Ron Vincent sings Cat Stevens at The Vine

INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician, Ron Vincent will perform an unforgettable rendition of the artist Cat Stevens at The Vine Hotel in North Wangaratta on Wednesday, May 10.

Ron not only holds an uncanny resemblance to Cat Stevens, but most impressive is his hauntingly beautiful vocals and performance style, which translates to one of most authentic and entertaining shows honouring this artist the world has ever seen.

Tickets are available now by visiting www.thevinehotel.net.au.

Romeo & Juliet is a story about fate and love, but it is also about a community impacted by violence and the performance comes with a warning that the storyline involves deaths of young people which may be triggering to some members of the community.

The production uses theatrical (fake) swords and knives and blood is indicated theatrically using red silk scarves.

The free performance will be held at 5pm tomorrow and no ticket is required (please arrive 10 mins earlier to be seated) with more information at www. wpacc.com.au.

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra matinee

THE Melbourne Chamber Orchestra will visit the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre as part of its matinee series, starting on Friday, March 24 at 2pm.

Called Inspirations, Sophie Rowell will lead a quartet of Melbourne Chamber Orchestra musicians for three string quartets, inspired by the classical tradition, featuring a humorous late Haydn quartet, a Beethoveninspired interlude by Pulitzer and Grammy-winner Caroline Shaw, and Beethoven’s dramatic Op 95.

Tickets are available now at www.wpacc.com.au.

Term 1 2023

2023 is going to be an exciting year for local schools

THESE are the new values of Oxley Primary School from 2023.

During the 2022 school year, the staff at Oxley Primary School worked hard to implement a School Wide Positive Behaviour approach to working with the students.

This work led to the auditing of the then school values.

The outcome of this work was to streamline the values to make it easier for the students to remember them.

Throughout this year, the school will be conducting exercises to imbed these values into the culture of the school.

On Thursday, February 16 the community came together for a picnic on the grounds of Oxley Primary School.

This picnic was a ‘welcome to’ and ‘welcome back’ for the school community.

The evening started with information sessions in the different classrooms where teachers spoke to families

PHONE: 03 5727 3312

about the classroom learning routines and how they can assist.

Families were then able to speak with teachers and have a look through the classrooms.

The evening concluded with the school community coming together on the lawns of the school and enjoying the company of other families while the children played.

Oxley has welcomed 10

EMAIL: oxley.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

new Foundation students who have settled in well to their new environment and routines.

Foundation students have been paired with year six buddies who assist them with learning activities and in the yard.

Not only is it a very exciting time for the Foundation students, the year six students are finding it extremely exciting too.

Term 1 2023

An inclusive learning path for all

OUR Lady’s Primary School is a small school with a huge capacity to cater for individual student needs.

With small class sizes and attention to detail, their aim is to ensure all students have the ability to learn with the learning adjustments to do so.

Small also means that students don’t miss out. Their entire school has been refurbished to provide outstanding educational facilities and they have a 1-1 iPad program to ensure their students have contemporary learning at their fingertips.

Our Lady’s is fortunate to also have access to their very own Speech Pathologist and receive ongoing support from an Occupational Therapist to ensure what they are doing meets the needs of the students entrusted in their care.

This year, they have embarked on a refreshed specialist timetable offering performing arts, visual arts, physical

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE: Isla is one of the Our Lady’s students benefiting from a small, inclusive school environment.

education and Auslan.

They are trialling Auslan throughout the school as they embrace two students into their community who are deaf or impacted by hearing loss.

As a way of demonstrating real life inclusive nature, the whole

school is learning Auslan together.

This change in curriculum has been embraced with excitement by the student community who are loving the handson, engaging pace of the Auslan curriculum.

With the embedded motto of Strong Minds, Compassionate Hearts Our Lady’s believes in educating the whole child.

At Our Lady’s Primary School they are first and foremost a Child Safe School.

They believe that all students have the right to be safe and feel included. They also believe in supporting behaviour through their Positive Behaviour Framework. Their schoolwide expectations of Do your best, Help others succeed and Respect your school allows students to learn and grow within their environment.

Behaviour expectations and social skills are explicitly taught to ensure all children succeed.

Principal: Cassie Lynch | 5721 3783

VIC 3677

‘Committed to nurturing confident, lifelong learners, in a friendly rural community.’

Respect, Resilience and Responsibility

Celebrating 20 years of a Cathedral education

THIS year Cathedral College Wangaratta is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

The first newsletter on record states: “A number of people are familiar with independent schools and are very supportive of the establishment of one in Wangaratta. Many others appreciate the proposal of a school that will strive for high academic standards within a caring and nurturing environment where every student is cared for as an individual and encouraged to work to his or her highest standard. Most families want a safe and

happy environment where learning is valued.”

Cathedral College started at the Close, in the grounds of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in 2003 with 34 students from prep to year seven.

“The students’ uniforms hadn’t arrived (they came the next day) but there was great excitement as the bell was rung to herald the start of a new era for education in Wangaratta,” Mrs Julie Findlay, the College’s current Director of Studies and founding staff member recalled.

In 2005 the College purchased the ‘Murdoch Road’ site and in 2006 the

adjacent farmhouse.

The sprawling 14-hectare site is to this day, the largest in the region.

It was originally planned to be a second campus; however, as enrolments increased it became apparent that the needs of the students could not be met at the Close and it was decided that all students and staff would begin the transition to, as it was affectionately known, ‘out the road’.

In 2011, Cathedral College Wangaratta joined the Anglican Schools Commission.

The College was the first

Victorian school to join the commission from outside Western Australia, and stood as a beacon for the model.

By 2015, 800 students from prep to 12 were on one campus.

Preceding this was a monumental building program that saw the campus develop rapidly to cater for increasing enrolments as the College grew from strength to strength.

Today’s campus hosts state-of-the-art facilities that include science labs, an arts precinct, food technology kitchens, a hockey pitch, a VCE centre,

full-size football oval, two libraries, a chapel and customised spaces for junior, middle and senior school students.

Fast forward to 2023 and Cathedral College has more than 1000 enrolments and has proven itself to be an outstanding educational provider in North-East Victoria.

More than 700 students travel by bus, and the College is honoured to provide a quality education not only for students in Wangaratta but also for those from other regional communities.

Proudly Anglican, the

College has stayed true to what its founders envisioned Cathedral College Wangaratta to be; an inclusive, low fee-paying school where every child is known well and encouraged to strive to be their best.

This year, the College will celebrate and acknowledge its 20th anniversary with various celebrations and events including Founders Day celebrations, alumni events, a historical display, and a mid-year ball.

It is an important milestone, one where the College’s past can be celebrated and the future can be embraced.

NOW: State of the art facilities now grace the grounds of Cathedral College’s campus.

Term 1 2023

Hey buddy, you got a friend in me

STARTING school is often both an exciting, yet at times, slightly scary prospect for many young people.

At Wangaratta Primary School, fostering friendships and providing students with a buddy is a key aspect of ensuring a positive start to school for Foundation students.

This process starts the year previous, when, on their transition days, new

foundation students are introduced to and complete a range of fun and engaging activities with their ‘next year buddy’. This ensures that come day one, there is at least one familiar face the students can go to if they need anything at all.

The Wangaratta Primary School buddy program provides time in those first few weeks for the year five/

six students to sit and eat with their buddies each day. Encouraging conversation while eating, prompting the students to express what they have done throughout the session and articulate themselves in a positive way about learning time.

The buddies then flow out into the playground with the Foundation students.

Modelling appropriate behaviour in games, providing one on one support and allowing the ‘Foundy’ kids to become accustomed to the wider playground.

This time is crucial in modelling the school values and providing positive interactions that the younger students will remember for quite some time.

Weekly buddy activities

are also a huge hit with the students.

Whether the five/ six students go down to Foundation, or the Foundation students take a trip up to the five/six room, the students get to spend a session learning alongside their buddy.

These activities are designed to be engaging, fun and encourage collaboration.

If you would like to learn more about the wonderful buddy program or just to see all that the school has to offer, please feel free to pop down to the upcoming open morning.

This event kicks off on Thursday, March 30 from 9.15am.

Alternately, if you are unable to attend on the day you can call the school and book a tour at any time.

HEY BUDDY: Indi, Teo, Scarlett and Rory enjoy eating lunch together as part of their buddy program.

Term 1 2023

Yarrunga students off to a great start

THERE has already been plenty happening for new and returning students at Yarrunga Primary School this year.

Last week they took part in RoadSafe North East’s Bike Education program which gives students the opportunity to learn how to ride safely, be confident and have fun while promoting to the school community that riding to school is an easy, fun and rewarding activity.

RoadSafe North East bike educator and former Olympic/ Commonwealth Games cyclist, Glenn Clarke brought the bicycle education trailer to the school and the students were put through their paces with a bike skills challenge course, guided workshops and supervised practice sessions over the course of the week.

On Monday this week, a number of students were presented with their school badges at a special assembly.

Recognising their contributions to the school in 2023 are:

School Captains Jackson Hickson-Richards and Jaxson Davern;

Vice Captains Lillianna Webb and Rylan Russell; Kids Council members

Harry Gathercole, Xander Hickson-Sutcliffe, Leah Forshaw, Lily Britton, Georgie Duncan, Mason Joyce, Miss I and Abbey Booth.

Sports Captains: Lawson - Jackson HicksonRichards and Ben Jessup; Gordon - Isabella Trewin and Dylan Meloury; Paterson - Sharlotte Bourne and Paige Whitecross; Dennis - Ashley EliottScragg and Jack Mumby.

This week Yarrunga Primary also have some very exciting visitors at the school. They are enormously privileged to be welcoming the Australian Ballet to their campus where members of the troupe will conduct an hour workshop each day with the grade five/six students and the grade three/four students will also receive a one hour workshop during the week.

Friday will see the culmination of all the hard work and learning by the grade five/six students when they perform on stage at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre (WPACC) before the whole school is treated to a performance at the WPACC of Romeo and Juliet by the Australian Ballet.

THUMBS UP: Yarrunga Primary School students Lily Britton, Indie Hickson (with RoadSafe North East bike educator Glenn Clarke), Jack Simpson and Benji Gardner gave the bike education program a thumbs up last week.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

Term 1 2023

Learning through play

AS announced by the state government, significant changes are happening or are planned to happen in the early childhood space.

These changes are welcomed by early childhood teachers, educators and early years management organisations, such as NERPSA.

These changes bring with them the continued focus on learning through play.

Play-based learning supports children to explore and make sense of themselves and their world.

It builds on children’s natural curiosity.

Play supports children in all areas of their development, including their understanding of themselves and relationships with others, their connection to the communities they live in, how they communicate effectively with others and how they think about and solve problems.

Programs that help children to learn through play are supported by educators who will provide children opportunities for:

Adult-led learning where the educator plans or introduces a play experience, idea or topic to purposefully direct the child’s learning; Child-directed play and learning where the child leads their own learning through exploration, imagination and experimentation; and Guided play and learning where educators involve themselves in children’s spontaneous play and extend their learning as opportunities arise.

All NERPSA early childhood teachers and educators understand the

importance and implement such learning through play opportunities to support a child’s educational journey.

As all children are learning all the time there are many opportunities for children to learn at home.

One simple example that can be used is when hanging out the washing, ask your child to hand you one, two, three pegs, sort pegs by colour, or talk about bigger, longer, smaller, and so on using clothes.

Learning through play happens throughout a child’s day, in the home and in the early childhood settings they attend.

Exciting beginnings

THIS new school year is a particularly exciting one for the community of St Patrick’s.

Their eight-classroom building is anticipated to be completed by June, and planning for a redesign of the school’s landscape has commenced.

Both changes will transform the environment, however what remains unchanged as always, is their

dedication to the wellbeing and teaching and learning of their students.

St Patrick’s values the close connection with their families, and after three years of COVID separation, 2023 is a time for them to focus on re-engaging their community into school life.

They commenced their year with a welcome morning tea, held ‘meet and greets’ with parents and students and enjoyed

Shrove Tuesday by holding a pancake breakfast for families.

Pancakes were enjoyed by all for a gold coin donation, with all funds going to Caritas.

They are also excited for the upcoming twilight sports event run by Kaboom.

This is another opportunity to gather and engage in family life together.

PLAY TIME: Play-based learning help children like Penny Neale (pictured) learn about themselves and their surroundings.

FUN START TO THE DAY: Students Alex Tekesic, Jessie O’Keefe and Lia Tekesic were excited to share in the pancake breakfast to celebrate Shrove Tuesday.

Galen Catholic College want girls to run the science world

GALEN Catholic College

(GCC) is leading the way in science education and they continue to encourage their female students to pursue the varied subjects within this area.

The successful offerings include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), VEX robotics, forensic science, microbiology, environmental science and astronomy.

For the enthusiasts, extracurricular programs extend to STEM Engagement, VEX robotics competition teams and In2Science, an e-mentoring program.

On December 7 2022, GCC year 11 student Ashlee Davey had the honour to be a guest speaker at the annual In2Science awards night in Melbourne, which was attended by many political and industry leaders including the Honourable John Brumby.

Ashlee won the Mentee of the Year Award in 2021 and was invited back to talk about her In2Science experience and her relationship with her

Mentor Georgia Eleftheriou, a neuroscience PhD student at the University of Melbourne and Florey Institute.

This was a wonderful example of the importance of a female mentee connection that the college nurtured.

GCC Science teacher Maree Timms is also no stranger to leading in science.

She established GCC’s VEX robotics teams which have been the local pioneers of the program; being the first teams in the region, attending world championships in the US in both 2018 and 2019, and qualifying in 2020 (however COVID prohibited travel for that year).

The travelling teams had several female students who as Maree says importantly ‘bring a different perspective to engineering’.

GCC is now supporting and mentoring other local regional teams in their efforts, such as the Border Robotics Club (Albury/Wodonga) who are attending a competition in Dallas this year.

ROBOTIME: Teacher Maree Timms with students Amitee Turnbull, Charlotte O’Meara, Tom Cook, Oscar Bell and Oliver DixonLeggett show off some of what the GCC VEX Robotics room has to offer.

Fantastic start to the year at Appin Park

IT has been a smooth beginning for students and staff at Appin Park Primary School this year.

A new year brings with it opportunity for a fresh start, consolidation of things that are going well, exploring new ideas and embracing change.

Appin Park have welcomed new classroom teachers and education support staff and 24 Foundation students have been welcomed to their new environment.

The grade five buddies have taken great delight in showing new Foundation students around and supporting them closely through the first few weeks of the next stage in the education journey.

Appin Park students will have the opportunity to take part in lessons from The Resilience Project as part of their learning around understanding the importance of looking after their emotional health and wellbeing.

Appin Park has a strong focus on developing and supporting students’ mental health via classroom learning throughout the week and through avenues such as daily breakfast club, classroom check-ins, brain breaks and support from the wellbeing team members.

Providing students with a voice in decision making and a platform for them to share ideas for change and improvement is an opportunity that the grade six students look forward to each year.

Successful students are voted in by their peers after presenting speeches to an audience.

At an assembly on February 20, three School Captains and seven House Captains were introduced to the school community.

The students were presented with their badges by some very proud members of their families as is the tradition for their new leaders.

Term one will provide an opportunity for the year five and six students to attend a three-night camp in Melbourne.

Students are excitedly looking forward to exploring places such as Scienceworks, MSAC, The MCG and Eureka Tower.

The camp helps to support students in further developing their independence, organisational skills, and social connections.

For some students it is their first time visiting the city and travelling on trains and trams.

Appin Park Primary School prides itself on being a warm and welcoming community for students and their families.

Offering a comprehensive curriculum and learning support for students at all levels, staff welcome you to come and look around their beautiful school.

Look out for upcoming open sessions early in term two for prospective students and their families or contact the office for further information.

challenges

LEADERS: Appin Park school captains for 2023: Jimi Pell, Alison Rogers and Charles Wright.

Run for fun and win $1000 for your school

THE Wangaratta Marathon and Fun Run 2023 will take place on Sunday, March 19 2023.

“We now invite all Primary School aged children to register for the 2km Primary School Challenge,” said Wangaratta Chronicle Marathon and Fun Run event manager, Karen Mayhew.

“There will be two ‘waves’ for the Primary School challenge - Racers and Chasers.

“The Racers wave is for Prep/Foundation to year six students who want to race hard and challenge themselves to achieve their best.

“The Chasers wave is for all primary school aged children, along with siblings, parents, grandparents or carers who just want to participate without ‘racing’ to the finish line.

“All children in both waves will receive a customised medal at the finish and their official time will be published on the website and in our newspaper the following week.”

The 2km Primary School

event focuses on student participation, representing their particular school and earning points and while some students may like to race other entrants, there are no prizes or additional points for those achieving

the fastest times.

“Smaller schools will not be disadvantaged in the enrolment points system when compared to larger schools with factoring based on actual student enrolment numbers on the

first day of the new school year,” Ms Mayhew added.

“Every student finisher in the Primary School Challenge is awarded one ‘Finisher’ point for their school.

“A ‘Finisher’ point will

only be awarded if the entrant has listed their school in their entry submission.

“This is then divided by an enrolment factor and the school with the greatest tally of

‘Enrolment’ points will be declared the winner.”

The winning school will be awarded a $1000 cash prize thanks to event partner R J Sanderson & Associates and will be given a perpetual trophy to display for 12 months.

Primary School children who enter the 2km event may also enter a Community Team, but only if their parent or carer is also a member of the Community Team (entered in a longer event).

A presentation will be arranged to take place at the winning school within a couple of weeks of the event.

Last year’s winner - Cathedral College Wangaratta - were grateful to receive the prize money which was used to purchase more sporting equipment and contributed to sporting clinics for their students.

To register your child and their school, visit https:// wangarattamarathon.com. au/ today.

To ensure you are earning points for your school, choose the school name from the Team drop down menu.

PROUD: Justin Timms (far left) and Cath James (far right) from event sponsor RJ Sanderson proudly presented the trophy and novelty cheque to Cathedral College principal Nick Jones, students Spencer Cole and Emma Wyatt and head of junior school Greg Newbold last year.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

Swimming carnival a high success

FUN was had by all at the Wangaratta High School 2023 Swimming Carnival with students and staff parading their house colours loud and proud.

Students competed in numerous championship races and novelty events and staff also entered events and showed off their skills.

The halftime entertainment was students and staff dancing to the Nutbush and Macarena.

Year 12 students and staff went head-to-head in the annual Swimming Carnival Students vs Staff relay.

All groups competed in great spirits with the staff (Mr Clark, Mr Manning, Mr Roche and Mr Belci) taking out the win, although not by much.

Well done to all students on their efforts and exemplary behaviour throughout the day.

Wangaratta High School was sent an email by Wangaratta Sports

and Aquatic Centre who were thrilled with the behaviour of the students and the way they cleaned the area before leaving.

Thank you to the Prefects and VCE-VM students for providing everyone with delicious treats throughout the day which consisted of hamper packs containing lots of goodies and were great value at $15.

Further congratulations to all age champions and Merriwa house on taking out the carnival. Congratulations to Wangaratta High School’s sports organiser Sandy Newman on her 25th swimming carnival and to all of the staff for making the day such a huge success.

HOUSE PROUD: Students

Caeleigh Cornhill (Merriwa), Swaye Frankland (Ovens), Ruby Bihun (Wareena) and Millie Meggs (King) proudly represented their house colours at the recent swimming carnival.

As part of our transition for 2024, we would like to invite future families to join us for our first Year 7 2024 Information Evening, which will be held on Wednesday, the 22nd of March 2023 at 5:15pm (for a 6pm start). For any queries, please contact our Transition Leader, Hannah Nott on 03 5723 0500 or at Hannah.Nott@education.vic.gov.au.

We look forward to meeting you.

2023

Aussie parents think three year olds should be able to dial 000 to ask for help

NEW research released last November from Elastoplast has highlighted the importance to parents for their children to have basic First Aid knowledge. Parents understand the importance of being able to act swiftly and calmly in First Aid situations, with 98 per cent of Aussie parents agreeing that being involved in a previous accident had highlighted the need for basic First Aid knowledge.

Sometimes an adult may not be immediately close by, highlighting the importance for children to have confidence in their own First Aid skills so they feel empowered in their ability to help themselves and each other when needed.

First Aid Training in Schools

The study showed that 81 per cent of parents believe children as young as three years old should be able

to dial triple zero and ask for help, opening up the conversation around where and when children should be participating in their own First Aid training.

While 50 per cent of parents believe that parents/guardians are responsible for teaching age appropriate First Aid to children, 78 per cent believe First Aid should be taught at schools, with four to seven years being the age group where more than

half of parents believe this teaching should commence.

To provide a solution, Elastoplast is running its Kids First Aid School Program for its third year in a row, equipping teachers with the knowledge to teach basic First Aid in schools, and empower students with the skills they require to keep themselves and each other safe.

Developed with ACHPER (The Australian

Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation,) the program is useful for all aspects of life and is curriculum approved, integrating First Aid knowledge into foundational, year one and two learning structures.

“With Elastoplast Kids

First Aid Program, we are confident that teachers have the necessary resources to teach children these essential life skills that help them

keep themselves and others safe, also giving parents peace of mind,” Dr Sue Whatman, president of ACHPER said.

Elastoplast’s mission is to grow the next generation of life savers by providing children with the tools to not only treat minor injuries, but to help them recognise and respond to unsafe situations by either sending for help or knowing who to call in an emergency.

Having commenced here in March last year, it was real pleasure to be on board for the start of this school year, especially to welcome our 125 new Year 7s to the High School. They are now well into their fourth week of secondary schooling. After so much disruption to school camps over the COVID period we are all grateful that these Year 7’s were able to head off on a school camp already to further nurture their connection and relationships with each other as we draw students from so many schools both near and far. I was very pleased to be welcoming so many new teachers in the context of a national shortage. We have been able to attract a wonderful group of experienced and passionate teachers from near and far.

The community may have heard of a significant Government commitment made last year - a $116 million commitment to build and equip 6 new Tech Schools in Victoria, including one in Wangaratta. This commitment is in addition to the $11.7 million committed for improvements and updates to Wangaratta High School. Combined it’s a wonderful outcome for our town and our young people.

I had the pleasure of meeting with the staff in the Department of Education who lead the Tech Schools initiative across the state and hear more about the opportunity and what it means for our school and our town.

This new campus in Wangaratta will complement the existing ten Tech Schools across the state. Wangaratta High School will be a key partner school and be deeply involved in its development and design and is perfectly placed to capitalise on the remarkable opportunities for our students. As a school leader, I am very excited and energised by this commitment to build a unique and world class facility that has bold aspirations. I recognise the very significant opportunities for our students and our community, and I look forward to supporting and serving its design. It is a very different model than what the name may mean to those that have been in Wangaratta for some time. It is not modelled on what has been here beforehand and is instead very much focused on the type of aspirational and future focused learning and topics that young people need and ensures that our town, schools, and community flourish in the rapidly changing global. Think instead of a ‘Hi-Tech School’ or a

WANGARATTA HIGH SCHOOL

17-49 Edwards St, Wangaratta

Phone (03) 5723 0500

Term 1 2023

‘STEM School’ (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The Tech School will provide programs for secondary students from Year 7 to 12 that complement and extend their curriculum at school, and our students will come and go as needed from the new campus.

Our new Tech School uses leadingedge technology, discovery and innovation to deliver the advanced education and training to Victorian school students. It will partner with industry to expose our student to real world challenges and inspire them to pursue careers in lowemissions manufacturing, renewable energy, health technologies, food manufacturing, defence, aerospace and digital technologies. It will be a purpose built facility on the GOTAFE campus in town.

It is a very exciting project and opportunity and focused on learning, experiences and aspirations that are the forefront of the rapid change we are experiencing at present such as coding, biotech, clean energy (beyond PV’s), AI, robotics, ag-tech, gamification etc. It is very focused on motivating and inspiring students, and it will give our students access to real-world high-tech STEAM learning experiences aligned to the curriculum and tied to clean energy sector. It will offer programs that serve our students from Year 7 to 12 to enrich and extend their learning beyond what we can do, with world class equipment and expertise that no school would have.

Parents or carers do not enrol their child at the Tech School. They would still need to be enrolled at a partner secondary school, such as Wangaratta High School. If you are interested, please visit www.vic.gov. au/tech-schools or have a look online at Gippsland Tech School https://www. gippslandtechschool.vic.edu.au/ for an idea of what is possible.

We do have the following upcoming events this term; however, I invite you to have a look at our website www.whs. vic.edu.au for lots of information about many programs and offerings and follow us on Facebook/Instagram.

Upcoming:

Year 7 Welcome BBQ on Wednesday, 1st March at 6:00pm.

2024 Year 7 Information Evening on Wednesday, 22nd March at 5:15pm. Talent Quest on Wednesday, 5th April.

www.whs.vic.edu.au

Happy Anniversary Cathedral College!

Cathedral College Wangaratta is proud to celebrate our twentieth anniversary in 2023. In twenty short years, the College has established an outstanding reputation for providing a high-quality, Prep to Year Twelve learning environment for the young people of the Rural City of Wangaratta and the Northeast region. It is appropriate that we celebrate this significant milestone and give thanks for the foresight of the Diocese of Wangaratta, its leaders and community members who understood the importance of providing a low-feepaying, independent schooling option for the community.

The 2023 school year will be an exciting time for the College as we recognise and celebrate our past and look forward to the next exciting phase in the history of Cathedral College. There will be various opportunities this year for our community to gather and celebrate the significant occasion of our twentieth anniversary. In May, we will introduce our first Founders’ Day celebration. This will be an opportunity for community members who have played an integral part in the growth and development of the College to celebrate with our current students, staff and broader school community. I look forward to seeing many past students, staff and community members at these events throughout the year. Each year at Cathedral College, we develop a school-wide theme that identifies an important aspect of the College which we want our school community to focus on. Cathedral College has traditionally used the tagline of Belong. Discover. Achieve to help articulate the essential values of our College. It is appropriate that in our twentieth year, we revisit these values as our school-wide theme in 2023. In simple terms, Discover describes the many opportunities our students are provided to assist them in identifying their individual strengths, passions and talents. Belong identifies the school culture we create to ensure students feel safe, connected and supported in and outside of the classroom. Achieve describes the high expectations and pursuit of excellence that all students are expected to strive for. Each individual is unique, and we walk alongside our students as they discover what excellence looks like for them.

The health and wellbeing of our school community remain a priority for the College in 2023. Our new strength and conditioning gymnasium will be

opened at the end of Term One and will be another addition to the high–quality sporting facilities that the College enjoys. The gymnasium will be utilised by our health, and physical classes, including the expanding VET certificates, offered to our students. Our STRIVE Sporting Academy students will benefit from this new facility, along with the many community groups which utilise the excellent sporting facilities that our College enjoys. STRIVE is expanding in 2023 as we introduce basketball to the program.

This year, our College has partnered with The Resilience Project to embed a whole school approach to the concept of mental health and wellbeing. The Resilience Project assists our staff in delivering emotionally engaging programs which provide practical, evidence-based strategies to build resilience and happiness. The program has its foundations in the concepts of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness and also incorporates emotional literacy, connection and physical health as cornerstones for positive mental health and wellbeing. We look forward to working closely with The Resilience Project to support our young people in developing lifelong strategies to support their mental health throughout their lifetime.

Providing genuine and authentic opportunities for our students to develop as community leaders is integral to a Cathedral education. Traditionally, our student leadership model has been based around our house system with Junior, Middle and Senior school students appointed to House Captain positions. In 2023, we have introduced four new leadership positions, which allow for greater input and direction from our student body. These positions include; Anglican Identity and Service Leader, Arts and Culture Leader, Environment and Sustainability Leader and Student Wellbeing Leader. We look forward to our school leaders working alongside staff to provide authentic opportunities for our young leaders to demonstrate initiative and implement

In our twentieth year, Cathedral College Wangaratta is thriving, and I encourage you to contact us to enquire about the possibility of your son or daughter joining the College. We have limited spaces in certain year groups, and I invite you to attend one of our Open Day events or arrange an individual tour of the College with our Registrar, Ms Louise Trenkner.

NICK JONES

DAVID ARMSTRONG

Welcome to the 2023 school year, This year Galen Catholic College commences its school year with over 200 new students, fortunately for all our students we started this year with no restrictions on how we operate our college, which is a major change considering the past three years. This large number of new students come to us from 26 feeder schools located not just around Wangaratta, but regionally and interstate. Some students come from large feeder primary schools, whilst others are the only student transferring to Galen Catholic College from their previous school. Added to this we also welcome 17 new staff who have joined our teaching and support teams to provide the best possible learning opportunities for our students. Our theme for 2023 is, “Created and Called, living with Grace and Respect.”

The first part of the theme “Created and Called,” comes from Marist Education Australia who are one of Galen Catholic College’s two original founding orders, the other order being the Brigidine Sisters now known as Kildare Ministries. When the theme was presented to our senior school leaders late in 2022, our leaders chose to add, “living with Grace and Respect.” Importantly, when presented with a theme for the year our students must have the opportunity to explore the theme and add to it so that they are able to bring the theme to life through their words and actions. This ownership of the theme will assist our leaders to develop a school culture which reflects our theme.

Recently at our Year 12 Jumper Presentation I spoke to our senior students about their year ahead and focussed on the short time they have left in secondary school which is now under 240 days. I spoke to each of our Year 12 students about achieving the results that they are truly capable of based on their gifts and talents, by giving this year their best possible effort. I also explored how their gifts and talents are a reflection of who they are, what they are capable of and ultimately the pathway they can take for their success.

GALEN CATHOLIC

College St,

Phone (03) 5721 6322

Term 1 2023

In the week following the Year 12 Jumper Presentation I accompanied our Year 12 students on their threeday retreat at Falls Creek. This gave us the opportunity to further explore our 2023 theme with our students. Over the three days I was amazed at the way in which our students not just embraced the theme, but also considered how they can work together as a cohort to achieve their best throughout 2023. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have experienced such an uplifting retreat with a wonderful group a senior students.

Over the remainder of 2023, I will further extend the conversation I started at the Year 12 Jumper Presentation by exploring what it means to be created and called. There are clear links between our 2023 theme and each student being created and called to develop a pathway for their learning which aligns to their gifts, talents and passion. Due to the significant pathway and subject offerings we have at Galen Catholic College, our students are able to explore their passions and interests across our VCE, Vocational Major and VET streams.

As an educator, it is my firm belief that student engagement in learning is critical to a student utilising their gifts and talents to achieve success in their chosen pathway. If you like, it is what each of our students were created and called to do in an educational sense. At the same time, each of us as educators are also called and created to provide each student with the best possible learning opportunities, which allow our students to excel in their chosen pathway.

My hope for all our students and staff at Galen Catholic College in 2023 is that each of us are able to engage in learning opportunities which will continue to progress us on a pathway to success. A pathway which reflects our gifts and talents, whilst also being deeply invested in who we are called to be.

Happy days

Darta

MARCH 22

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DARREN ‘DARTA’ HOVEY

COLLEGE

Wangaratta

Tutor program

Appin Park Primary School

A NUMBER of year four to six students are currently accessing extra support through the Education Department’s Reading Tutor program.

During the disrupted years of COVID, some students missed the opportunity for constant structured reading.

Working in small groups, and being able to have a real focus on word attack skills, fluency and understanding is allowing these students to continue to improve their reading skills, which in turn helps them in all areas of their school day.

Each of the students undertaking this program is embracing the specific instructions and individual goals that they are being challenged with and taking their learning back into their classroom.

Shrove Tuesday

Carraragarmungee Primary School

SPECIAL events are celebrated with enthusiasm by students at the school. One of the favourites is Shrove Tuesday when delicious pancakes are on the menu.

Esther Pye again and Jarrah Waldhart were among those enjoying the tasty treats.

DELICIOUS: Esther Pye and Jarrah Waldhart enjoyed their Shrove Tuesday pancakes.

WELCOME BOOST: Peter and Bec Joyce joined students (back row) Kieran Hope and Mark Henschke, with staff member Paul Broomfield and (front) Maisie Broomfield, Morgan Hope, Maddi Puls, Ally Puls who gratefully received the generous donation.

Love for LEGO

Wangaratta Primary School

THANKS to a generous donation from O’Brien Real Estate, students will have the opportunity to start their very own Lego Club at school. This amazing donation will benefit so many students who can take the chance to chill out and put their creative brains to work. The school community gave a huge thanks to O’Brien Real Estate for providing this fantastic contribution.

HELPING HAND: Students including Kyla Moncrieff, Lilly Hayward and Indie Smith are enjoying the extra support from tutor specialist, Robyn Elliott.

Milawa Primary School

WHEN four St Kilda Football Club players visited the school it had a lasting impact on those who gathered for the special event, including more than 90 students from Milawa and Oxley primary schools.

Footy visit Swimming fun

Having an opportunity to meet, ask questions and hear from professional players gives students a greater understanding of the commitment and dedication required to achieve goals and be part of a successful team.

MEET AND GREET: Milawa and Oxley students took part in a Q&A session with players from St Kilda, including captain, Jack Steele, when they visited the school.

1

What is the term used in biology to describe fish that stay in a group for social reasons?

If you wanted a one litre container with the smallest surface area possible, what shape should your container be?

2

3

What kind of wave is the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array trying to detect?

GOOD SPORTS: CCW students Ham and Kiana

GOOD SPORTS: CCW students Ruby Ham and Kiana Lane spread good cheer at the swimming carnival.

Cathedral College Wangaratta

THE recent middle school swimming carnival brought out the best in both competitors and the supporters who cheered them on. Middle School students Ruby Ham and Kiana Lane were among those getting into the spirit of the event, celebrating 20 years at Cathedral College Wangaratta.

4

What gets produced in nectaries?

often used to attract animals to flowers. 5. Ozone is made of three oxygen atoms.

regularly flashing stars called pulsars. 4. Nectaries are where a plant produces nectar, a sweet liquid

QUIZ ANSWERS:: 1. Shoaling fish stay in a group for social reasons. This is different from schooling, where fish swim all in the same direction. 2. Spheres have the smallest surface area for any given volume. 3. The Parkes Pulsar Timing Array is trying to detect gravity waves by looking at

5An ozone molecule is made of three atoms of which element?

For more CSIRO Double Helix science visit www.csiro.au/helix or call 02 6276 6643.

ule

KING VALLEY NEWS

Covering Moyhu, Edi, Myrrhee, Whitfield, Cheshunt and Whitlands areas

Safety in the headlights at Moyhu Primary School

TWO recent accidents, a close call and a visible increase in the number of speeding motorists have prompted Moyhu Primary School into action, seeking a reduction in the speed limit on a section of the Wangaratta-Whitfield Road directly outside the school.

The school’s business manager

Carole Breust said there was an accident on the last day of school last year, when a teacher who was stationary with their indicator on to turn into the carpark, was rearended by a four wheel drive in an accident so severe, both vehicles were written off

She said sometime earlier, a car travelling on the Boggy Creek Road (which runs towards the school and joins the Wangaratta-Whitfield Road at an angled T-intersection) ploughed across the road straight into the school building.

“I think it’s odd that there is a

hu township where there is a 60km speed limit.

BY ANITA McPHERSON amcpherson@ nemedia.com.au

100km speed limit past the school all day and although it’s 40km during school times, it would be safer to have it at 80km at other times, especially with the carpark at the side of the school,” she said.

“When you exit the carpark, you have to look three ways - to the Boggy Creek Road as well as looking north and south and cars just fly down the road - I’m fairly certain a lot aren’t sitting on the speed limit.”

Ms Breust said while she made enquiries and found out it was legal to have a 100km speed limit outside a school when it’s located on a rural road, she finds it startling, particularly when the school is located less than two kilometres from the Moy-

BOWLS ACTION: Moyhu’s Community Bowls penultimate round four last Friday evening had no dramatic start like the previous week and with two wins, the Greta Cricket Club were the early favourites to win the competition. While Greta on 65 points led after three rounds, Moyhu Netballers and Edi Fire brigade share second place with 52 points each, Moyhu Historical Motors are third on 51 points and Moyhu Primary School are in fourth place on 44 points. The Edi Fire Brigade team of Mark Baker, David Leach and Dave “Worsy” Worshop (pictured) all the way from Lake Cargelligo via Cobar, took the lollies this week to really give the ladder leads a big shake. The fifth and final round could see a big change on the leaders board this Friday, with play starting a little earlier at 5.45pm sharp. Following play is the popular sausage sizzle, then the drawing of the “all-in raffle” where one lucky club will be $400 richer. The competition winning club also receives $100. Another separate raffle is for a meat tray with tickets sold on the night. Good bowling everyone.

WANGARATTA Senior Citizens Club

will host an in-house movie, ‘Runaway Heart’, from 1.30pm today in its clubrooms in Tara Court.

Breakfast will be held at the Quality Hotel Wangaratta Gateway at 8am on Friday, March 3.

The club will also host indoor carpet bowls from 12 noon tomorrow (Thursday), cards (euchre) from 1.30pm on Friday, indoor carpet bowls on Monday from 12 noon, and cards (500) and hoy on Tuesday from 1.30pm, all at its clubrooms in Tara Court, off Ford Street, or in St Patrick’s supper room.

Next week’s social event will be bingo at the clubrooms from 1.30pm.

A NEW croquet club has started at the Wangaratta Lawn Tennis Club in Merriwa Park.

The group plays on Sunday mornings, and Wednesday and Thursday twilight, equipment supplied.

For more information, contact Anne on 0490 173 169.

A HEALTH and wellbeing evening will be held at Everton Community Hall on Thursday, March 2 from 7pm to 8pm.

If you are feeling stressed or concerned, or are worried about a loved one or friend and would like more information, join in this welcoming and relaxed evening with Nicole and Louise from Wellways. Tea/coffee on arrival.

For more details, contact Yvonne on 0447 851 236.

WANGARATTA Garden Club will hold its next meeting on Thursday,

She said while there aren’t many cars parked in the carpark all day, there were drop-offs and pick-ups at different times, buses and teaching staff coming and going as well as regular visitors.

The school currently has 13 children and four main staff but with a nearby housing subdivision being developed, the school community expected to see an increase in the near future.

“The way our carpark is situated, it’s hidden from the road until you actually turn into it, so strangers probably don’t even realise there is traffic coming in and out,” said Ms Breust.

“It doesn’t matter whether you have 13 children or 30 when it comes to road safety - if it was 80km until you reach the other side of the school, it would be fine and would

King Valley CWA meeting

THE next meeting of the King Valley CWA will be held on Tuesday, March 7 at 6.30pm.

only add seconds to someone’s trip.”

Staff members at the school have expressed their support for the change, which will also be flagged by principal Rick Martin at the next school council meeting.

Ms Breust also raised the matter with Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, who brought it up in parliament last week, citing examples of the recent incidents.

Mr McCurdy added that the safety of the students was his number one concern and he committed to working productively with the school and the broader community on the matter.

“The road is very narrow, and there is no reduction of speed until the 40 kp/h school zone,” he said.

“I am asking the Minister for Roads to provide some guidance on ways we can make this section of road, and intersection, safer for parents and students alike.”

The meeting will be held at the Mountain View Hotel in Whitfield and celebrate International Women’s Day, with all local women welcome to join in.

To RSVP contact kvcwa1st@gmail.com.

King Valley Residents Association

THE next meeting of the King Valley Residents Association will be held at the Whitfield Recreation Reserve on Wednesday, March 8 at 6pm.

All interested are welcome to attend.

King Valley Arts film club screening

THE next movie to screen as part of the King Valley Arts Film Club will be Eagle vs Shark, a romantic comedy by renowned director Taika Waititi and starring Jemaine Clement (Fight of the Concord) and Loren Taylor. It will be screened at the Cheshunt Hall “cinema” on Tuesday, March 14 with door open at 7pm and the film to start at 7.30pm.

To find out more or to download a membership form, visit https:// kingvalleyarts.com.au/filmclub/.

March 2 from 1.30pm in the Seventh Day Adventist Church hall in Phillipson Street.

There will be a mini-show, with members’ flowers, a stall, and afternoon tea will be served.

Special effort this month is a vase featuring autumn tones. New members welcome.

IF you have recently moved to the Wangaratta area, you may like to attend the next Wangaratta Newcomers gathering, to be held on Thursday, March 2 from 2pm to 3.30pm at Intermezzo Café.

Join the group for a cuppa, a chat and to meet some new people.

For more information, phone Susan on 0412 497 183.

SATURDAY Quilters meet on the first Saturday of the month for a relaxed day of sit, sew and chat, from 10am to 3pm at the Wangaratta Small Bore Rifle Club, off the river end of College Street.

Existing and new members are most welcome to attend.

Contact Colleen on 0427 221 138.

WANGARATTA Keenagers Table Tennis Club has resumed playing for 2023.

Play begins at 7.30am in the summer, and 8am in the winter. The group plays on Mondays and Thursdays at the table tennis centre at the Wangaratta Showgrounds. New players welcome.

Morning tea provided - please bring your own cup. For more information, contact Trevor Wolfel on 0476 891 596.

WANGARATTA Cake Decorators

SOCIAL CALENDAR

meet every third Saturday of the month at the Baptist Church in Sisely Avenue from 12.30pm.

The next meeting is on March 18, when Leanne Wood (state president) will demonstrate how to mould little farm animals. All welcome, cost for the day is $15. Phone Jeanie on 0439 087 630 for more information.

WANGARATTA Concert Band rehearses on Mondays from 6.45pm to 9pm at the Avian Park Raceway Band Room in Newman Street.

New players welcome, contact Helen on 0401 021 448.

GLENROWAN Indoor Carpet Bowls

is held at Glenrowan Recreation Reserve Hall each Wednesday - arrive 12.45pm for 1pm start.

The competition runs until 3.30pm-4pm, and is followed by afternoon tea. For details, phone Frank on 0409 662 462.

WANGARATTA Sing Australia Group meets each Wednesday from 7.30pm to 9pm at Purbrick Hall, next to Holy Trinity Cathedral.

All welcome - for further information, call Keith Fleet on 0491 114 480, Cheryl Hoysted on 0419 005 062 or Marlene O’Keefe on 0417 454 126.

WANGARATTA Symphony Orchestra meets each Tuesday from

7.30pm to 9.30pm at Wangaratta Baptist Church, 1 Sisely Avenue.

New string and wind players are welcome to come along to rehearsals to try out.

For more information, email wangsymphonyorchestra@gmail. com or call Chloe on 0413 775 027.

WANGARATTA Woodworkers Inc meet at the Wangaratta Showgrounds each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 12 noon (closing earlier if no-one is present).

The rooms are open on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 7pm to 8.30pm, and Sundays from 10am to 1pm. All welcome.

For more information, contact Bevan on 0437 196 118 or Les on 0412 250 674.

OSTINATO Wangaratta and District Community Choir meets each Tuesday from 7pm to 9.30pm at the Log Cabin, corner Faithfull and Chisholm Streets, Wangaratta.

New members are welcome to join this enthusiastic and welcoming group of singers. For more information, contact Helen on 0457 269278.

LIFEBALL is held each Tuesday from 1pm on the basketball court at the Wangaratta Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Lifeball is a non-contact game of netball, designed by a doctor and physio for the safety of mature players, with no running, walking backwards or throwing high balls, but enjoying fun and friendship.

For more information, phone 0418 574 404.

WANGARATTA AL-Anon Family Group meets on Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 3pm at the backstage meeting room at St Patrick’s Hall in Ford Street.

All welcome. If your life has been affected by someone else’s drinking, this group may be for you. Contact David on 0403 552 950 or Bev on 0449 516 828.

WANGARATTA Toastmasters conducts its meetings on the second and fourth Monday of each month from 6.45pm in the community room at the Wangaratta Library in Docker Street.

For more information, contact Leah Walker at leahwalka@gmail.com

BLOKES Time Out conducts regular gatherings and activities on the third Saturday of the month.

For more information, visit gritandresilience@wangaratta.vic. gov.au

CYCLING Without Age Wangaratta offers free tri-shaw rides to the elderly, and to people of any age with disabilities or reduced mobility.

The group provides regular rides around Wangaratta to people living at home, or living in care.

For more information, phone 0418 387 089 or email cwawangaratta@ gmail.com

TOPS weight supporting group meets at The Centre each Monday from 5pm to 6pm, offering encouragement and great company to support locals in managing their weight.

For more information, phone 0458 374 261.

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Lavish Wellness Centre

69 Green Street, Wangaratta

Ph: 0437 725 990

F: Lavish Wellness Centre

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CAFÉ FOR SALE

66 Reid Street, Wangaratta

$60,000 walk-in-walk-out

Ph 0408 205 066 or 0488 311 391

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTATE ANNE RUSSELL

Anne Russell, late of 138 Williams Road, Wangaratta, VIC, 3677. Creditors, next of kin, and others having claims in respect of the estate of the deceased, who died on 14 July 2022, are required by the personal representatives, Jayne Annette Buck and Edward James Buck, to send particulars to them by the 1st day of May 2023 at the office of their solicitors, Morgan Couzens Legal, 1/68 Myrtle Street, Myrtleford, VIC, 3737 after which date the personal representatives may convey or distribute the assets, having regard only to the claims of which they then have notice.

1 March 2023

CHECK OUT OUR NORTH EAST JOBS in today's Regional Extra for more employment opportunities.

Published every Wednesday in your Wangaratta Chronicle, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Myrtleford Times and Alpine Observer

St Catherine’s Hostel Wangaratta Inc Intensive Child and Family Practitioner

LIFESTYLE ASSISTANT

Full Time – 76 hours

St Catherine’s Hostel is a private not for profit 72 bed aged care facility with aging in place. We currently seek a full time Lifestyle Assistant committed to working in a caring team oriented environment.

Terms and conditions are in accordance with St Catherine’s Hostel Wangaratta Inc. (trading as St Catherine’s Hostel) ANMF and HSU Enterprise Agreement 2021

Essential Criteria: & activities programs

Desirable:

WANT TO RENT

RENTAL WANTED

Looking for a 2 bedroom unit to rent in the Wangaratta Area

Looking to move in 21st – 23rd March

Employed/Self-Employed

Ph 0419 442 420

Emailyouradvert

Reception Mon – Fri 9.00am to 5.00pm

All enquiries and applications, including CV and current referees to: Email: caremanager@stcatherineshostel.org.au

Attn: Telephone 03 5721 2243

Applications close 5.00pm March 23rd

All applications managed with the strictest of confidentiality

Wangaratta Chronicle

Cadet

First time in town

Young, 25y/o

Very stunning, busty

Number 1 service guaranteed

Ph 0473 311 660

CONCRETING - Big or small jobs. Paths, driveways, shed slabs, verandahs. 15 years experience. For a free quote phone Trev Anderson on 0422 200 761.

PAINTER, old school, for all your painting needs. Commercial, industrial renovations.

Phone Julian 0412 597 482.

North East Media, publisher of the award winning Wangaratta Chronicle, is currently seeking expressions of interest from motivated candidates to join the team in Wangaratta as a cadet journalist.

The cadetship is ideally suited for a Year 12 graduate. It is for three years, including course study by correspondence from Deakin University.

The successful candidate will learn how to write clear, concise and interesting news, sport and feature stories for our newspaper and associated digital and social media platforms.

We are searching for a budding writer who has the skills, passion and determination to be a journalist of the future.

Candidates must have excellent verbal and written English, sound computer skills, solid general knowledge, a genuine interest in the local community, and an ability to build rapport and networks quickly. You will need to be well organised, able to work to deadlines, and have strong attention to detail.

Candidates must hold a valid driver’s licence, be available to work flexible hours, and photography and social media skills are desirable.

North East Media is a leading independent family-owned media group with a commitment to community journalism.

Applications, including covering letter and resume, should be emailed to Group Editor Jeff Zeuschner at jzeuschner@nemedia.com.au

Physiotherapist

PPT position or private contractor arrangement

Hours negotiable and flexible

St Catherine’s is a not for profit, private 72 bed aged care facility with ageing in place.

We are seeking a qualified physiotherapist to join our team as an employee or alternatively, provide services through a contractual arrangement.

Terms and conditions are in accordance with Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020

Essential Criteria:

Current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Physiotherapy Board of Australia; Bachelor of Physiotherapy (or equivalent);

Experience in physiotherapy treatment of adult/elderly patients

Ability to be responsible and responsive to a situation where a high level of professional autonomy exists

Current Police Check.

Desirable:

Previous experience in Aged Care

Position Descriptions are available from

Reception Mon – Fri 9.00am to 5.00pm

All enquiries and applications, including CV and current referees to:

Email: caremanager@stcatherineshostel.org.au

Attn: Heila Brooks

Telephone 03 5721 2243

Applications close 5.00pm

March 24th 2023

All applications will be managed with the strictest of confidentiality

CAVOODLE puppies, male and female available, black, apricot and chocolate, $4000. Microchip numbers: 900164002196108, 900164002196249, 900164002196231, 900164002195918, 900164002195902, 900164002195925, 900164002195893, 900164002195919, 900164002196253, 900164002196230, 900164002195920, 900164002195922.

Source number MB170559. Ph 0408 205 066.

2004 Holden Commodore Berlina, Series 2, red, excellent condition, 210,000km, new Michelin tyres, tow bar, reg (SUO693), $7500. Ph 0408 579 394, Wangaratta.

2018 Holden Commodore Lt Zb Liftback Auto MY18, 2.0lt turbo petrol, Apple car play/Android auto, reverse camera, auto park, lane assist, r emote start, keyless entry, 57,500km, exexecutive car and then 1 owner, reg till April 2023 (1OO7EY), RWC can be supplied, full service history, $25,000 ono, inspections welcome, more photos on Facebook, located in Wangaratta. Phone Rachael 0400 432 077.

2011 FORD FALCON

Ute, XR6, limited edition FG, auto, super cab, 108,000km, RWC, 8 months reg, (YLD597), $24,500. Ph 0412 543 949.

St Catherine’s Hostel Wangaratta Inc

CARS wanted, cars removed. Ph 0435 083 115.

Personal

12x6 TIPPER Trailer, 3.2t GVM, 5t tipper kit, rocker roller suspension, drop down rear legs, toolbox, Anderson plug for charging, excellent condition. $8,800 inc GST. Ph 0422 200 761.

CARAVANS & CAMPERS

BUENO Gooseneck,

DEATH NOTICES

ADAMO, Valerie Patricia (Val).

We are saddened to announce the passing of our precious Val who passed away peacefully at the Royal Melbourne Hospital on February 22, 2023.

Dearly loved and loving wife to John (dec).

Loving mother to Jodie.

Cherished grandmother to Tegan, Dylan and his partner Liv.

Adored Great Nanny to Harper.

In our hearts you will always stay, Loved and remembered every day.

DIECKMANN, Jenny.

In loving memory of a wonderful sister, who fought hard to the very end.

DEATH NOTICES

VICKERS, Cindy Lee.

Passed away at Wangaratta Private Hospital on Friday, February 24, 2023. Daughter of Nancy (dec) and John. Sister of Betty, Susie, Donna and Johnny. Forever in our hearts. Rest in peace.

ADAMO

The service to celebrate the life of Val Adamo will be held in the Mason Park Chapel, 95 Mason Street, Wangaratta on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, commencing at 2pm.

Burial will follow at the Wangaratta Lawn Cemetery. Val’s service can be viewed via livestream at www.masonpark.com. au/live-streaming/

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

2016 RED CENTRE

KIMBERLEY 21’6”, immaculate, sleeps 2, GVM 3300kg, semioffroad, extended QS bed, ensuite, washing machine, 300W solar, 3way frig, SS gas/elec H WS, diesel heater, p lus extras, reg until Aug 2023, $72,500. Ph

A sister is a unique blessing that will last forever in our hearts.

Deepest sympathy to Colin and family. Rest peacefully now. Will be missed.

~ Robyn and Les, Aunty to Mathew, Christina, Karl, Bethany and Tanya.

MARJANOVIC, Veronica May.

21/4/1949 – 26/2/2023

Passed away peacefully at Wangaratta Private Hospital.

Wife of Josip.

MARJANOVIC

The Funeral Service for Mrs Veronica May Marjanovic will be held in the Mason Park Chapel, 95 Mason Street, Wangaratta on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 10.30am. A private cremation will follow.

of Veronica to Ovarian Cancer Australia can be made at www.ovariancancer.net.au

Veronica’s service can be viewed via Livestream at www.masonpark.com.au/live-streaming/

2017 JAYCO OFFROAD STARCRAFT

OUTBACK, neat as a new pin and ready to go for your Easter getaway, this offroad 16’ pop up caravan comes with full ensuite, double bed (and quality linen), 2 gas bottles, stone guard, solar panel, 2 water tanks, air con, microwave and TV included, 3 way fridge, JTech independent suspension, large front tool box and recently serviced, reg July 23, $47,000. Ph 0408 579 371, Bright area.

FOR SALE

BALINESE style wooden cabinet, 40” television with CD

Ph 0447 526 403.

VIBRO trainer exercise machine, new, paid $2000, take $1200. Ph 0481 356 176 after 7pm.

Loved Mum of Shane, Little Joe and Wayne. Nan of 6 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.

McCLELLAN Kevin David ‘Barney’ to his students.

9/3/1943 – 25/2/2023

Passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family and friends.

Loving husband to Marilyn.

Father and father in-law of Brett, Nicole, Aaron & Hanna, and Renee & Brett.

Loved poppy to Curtis, Olivia, Shahne & Jarrod, Declan, Jaxson, Nate & Toby & Will

Today, tomorrow, our whole lives through, We will always love and remember you.

Rest in peace darling Kevin.

A funeral service to celebrate Kevin’s life will be held at North East Funerals – Bell Room, 184 Greta Road, Wangaratta on Monday, February 6, 2023 commencing at 11am. A private cremation will take place following the service.

VICKERS

The service to celebrate the life of Miss Cindy Lee Vickers will be held in the Mason Park Chapel, 95 Mason Street, Wangaratta on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 10.30am. Burial will follow at the Wangaratta Lawn Cemetery.

Flowers are welcome, however a donation made online to The Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation at www.donate.petermac.org.au/ or the Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre at www.awh.org.au in memory of Cindy would be appreciated.

Cindy’s service can be viewed via livestream at www.masonpark.com.au/live-streaming/

WANGARATTA Chronicle photographer Melissa Beattie made her way down to WDCA junior cricket on Saturday to capture some sport’s action. Photographs can be purchased at the Chronicle.

LOGAN BENTON

ZACH SAMMUT

RILEY SESSIONS

NOAH GIGLIOTTI

HARRY GUMLEY

CHARLIE SEAGER

DARCY SANDERS

ARABELLA BRETT

WILL JAMES

LUCA SOLIMO, NOAH GIGLIOTTI AND DARCY SANDERS

PATRICK HUNTER

NERTA moves on to finals

By BACKHAND WINNER

Section 1

WAHGUNYAH finished the season on a high defeating Wang Hardcourt in an epic battle at the Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve.

Wahgunyah held the set advantage for most of the day but Hardcourt managed to win their sets by greater margins and minimise their defeats to two or three games which meant that Wahgunyah were ahead on sets but the overall games were level with three sets to play.

Hardcourt blasted their way to an 8-2 victory in the men’s set but this was quickly offset with Wahgunyah winning the mixed set 8-4 to set up the women’s cliffhanger but unfortunately for Hardcourt, when leading 4-3, illness struck and forfeited the remaining games to hand Wahgunyah the win and overall victory.

With three sets decided by two tie-breaks and an 8-6 (all which were won by Wahgu-

nyah) the result could have been quite easily reversed.

Easily the best and most impressive player for Wahgunyah was Mareeta Corcoran with great support from Travis McDonald and Jackie Seymour.

Hardcourt’s best were Mario Pane, Lynne Sheppherd, Chris Lucas and Di Lucas.

Everton Blue were no match for the class of Corowa on Saturday as Corowa coasted to victory by a hefty margin.

Everton were unlucky not to claim victory in two tiebreak sets and another one at 8-6, they had their chances to record wins but the consistency under pressure of the Corowa team shone through.

Corowa’s best were Darrell Spencer, Claire Davidson and Melissa Rhodes, while for Everton Dave Postlewaite, Ruth Kneebone and Bec Sacco were their best.

Section 2

Everton showed no mercy on the travelling Boorhaman

team and completely outplayed them in all facets of the game.

Boorhamn had their chances to put some early scoreboard pressure on Everton as they lost two tiebreak sets.

Everton totally outclassed Boorhaman after the early sets and completely overwhelmed them to record an easy victory.

Everton’s best were Steve Russell, Gene Williams and Jo Lucas, while Boorhaman’s best were Darren Saward, Dale Robinson and Sharen Cleal.

Hardcourt Pulvirenti have stamped themselves as the team to beat in section two with another convincing win over perennial finalists Myrrhee.

Hardcourt were in control of the match from the start and continued to extend their lead and supremacy as the match worn on.

In the end it was the youthful exuberance and fearlessness in shot making

that ensured Hardcourt took the points.

Hardcourt’s best were Treena McNair, Tomo Moriya and Ray Munari.

Myrrhee’s best were Phil Corker, Cathy Van Berlo, Di Griffin and Mark Van Berlo.

Section 3

Wooragee (Mark Knoth, Lisa Ladbrook, Dean Bensted, Bec Davis) stormed into the top four with a convincing win over Wahgunyah Deep Heat (Josh Reid, Jacob Palmer, Kendall Reid, Kath Blake) and will play Boorhaman to see who advances to the preliminary final.

Deep Heat battled against the odds but the lack of experience cost them and ensured Wooragee advanced to the finals.

Wahgunyah United (Brian Jones, Dave Harris, Brad Schmidt, Rob Hill) destroyed Wahgunyah Wranglers’ (Mitch Parker, Sonia Palmer, Jaxx Johnstone, Josh Parker) hopes of participating in the finals after they were humiliated by United.

There were some smiling Wrangler faces after the defeat, as it is understood that a number of their players have a prior engagement at an Ed Sheeran concert next weekend.

Senior finals:

Section one and two at Wangaratta Hardcourt.

Section three at Wahgunyah.

1:30pm start $5/per player to host club.

Junior finals next weekend:;

Wahgunyah vs Corowa Barty at Wahgunyah, Corowa Hewitt vs Rutherglen at Corowa. All Junior teams to provide two balls per team.

RESULTS

Section 1

Wahgunyah 6-59 def Hardcourt Pinkertons 3-57, Corowa 9-72 def Everton Blue 0-34.

Section 2

Hardcourt Pulvirenti 7-64 def Myrrhee 2-27, Everton Red 9-72 def Boorhaman 0-28.

Section 3

Wahgunyah Wahnation 6-48 def Boorhaman 0-0, Wahgunyah United 6-48 def wahgunyah Wranglers 0-12, Wooragee 6-448 ddef Wahgunyah Deep heat 0-22.

Under 15

Wahgunyah 7-42 def Corowa Bartty 0-11, Rutherglen def Corowa Hewitt.

Ladders

Section 1

Rutherglen 99, Hardcourt Pinkertons 80 144 per cent, Corowa 80 131 per cent, Wahgunyah 74, Everton Blue 52.

Section 2

Hardcourt Pulvirenti 70, Everton Red 61, Boorhaman 46, Myrrhee 44.

Section 3

Wahgunyah Wahnation 90, Wahgunyah United 54, Boorhaman 52, Wooragee 37.5, Wahgunyah Wranglers 32.5, Wahgunyah Deep Heat 28.

Under 15

Wahgunyah 79, Corowa Hewitt 54, Rutherglen 30, Corowa Barty 27.

AFLNEB launch Female Umpire Academy

AFL North East Border is excited to announce the launch of the Female Umpire Academy to train up more female umpires to officiate matches throughout the region.

Through this program, AFLNEB hopes to increase the number of female umpires within community football at the grassroots level. This program will aim to fast-track the development of female umpires in the border region, providing them with the opportunity to further develop, both personally and professionally.

Region manager, Zac Hedin, said the academy was going to cater to the growing number of female umpires.

RISING STARS: Wangaratta Little Athletics athletes attended the Northern Country Region Track & Field carnival in Bendigo with some qualifying for state championships.

Little Athletics stars return from Bendigo

WANGARATTA Little

Athletics stars attended the Northern Country Region Track & Field carnival in Bendigo on February 18 and 19 with a number of athletes progressing to the State Championships, being held in Melbourne on March 11 and 12.

Results from Bendigo:

G17: 100m: Ashleigh Carty

13.20 (1st); 200m: Ashleigh

Carty 27.62 (1st); Javelin: Ashleigh Carty 35.66m (1st); Long Jump: Ashleigh Carty

5.46m (1st); Triple Jump: Ashleigh Carty 10.91m (1st).

G14: 200m: Georgia Lewis

32.94 (3rd); Javelin: Georgia Lewis 24.33m (2nd).

G13: 80m Hurdles: Keira

O’Sullivan 19.73 (2nd); Discus: Addison Pastuszka

15.95m (5th); High Jump: Keira O’Sullivan 1.24m (2nd); Javelin: Addison Pastuszka

18.74m (1st); Shot Put: Addison Pastuszka 7.59m (2nd).

G12: 100m: Sibel Primerano

14.65 (2nd); 200m: Sibel Primerano 29.23 (3rd); 400m:

Sibel Primerano 66.86 (2nd).

G11: 100m: Eliza Walker

15.26 (3rd); Charlotte McMahon

15.63 (7th); 400m: Eliza Walker

72.98 (1st); 800m: Eliza Walker

2:46.98 (1st); Discus: Charlotte McMahon 16.43m (4th); Javelin: Charlotte McMahon 13.78m

(1st); Eliza Walker 10.71m (2nd); Long Jump: Eliza Walker 3.22m (7th).

G10: 70m: Ava Mullane 11.16 (2nd); 100m: Ava Mullane 15.88 (2nd); 200m: Ava Mullane

34.04 (3rd); Emma Wyatt 36.67 (8th); 400m: Ava Mullane 75.67 (2nd); Emma Wyatt 82.79 (8th);

800m: Emma Wyatt 3:06.93

(3rd); Long Jump: Emma Wyatt

3.15m (8th); Ava Mullane

3.15m (9th).

B16: 100m: Declan

O’Sullivan 12.11 (1st); 200m:

Declan O’Sullivan 24.31 (1st);

400m: Declan O’Sullivan 54.40 (1st); 300m Hurdles: Declan

O’Sullivan 42.27 (2nd).

B15: 100m: Ashley Primerano 12.42 (2nd); Mitchell O’Sullivan 13.33 (6th);

200m: Mitchell O’Sullivan 27.40 (5th); Ashley Primerano DNF; 400m: Mitchell O’Sullivan 62.89 (4th); Discus: Anakin Pastuszka 35.99m (1st); Javelin: Anakin Pastuszka 29.92m (1st); Shot Put: Anakin Pastuszka 12.20m (2nd).

B14: 800m: Harrison Carty

2:33.13 (1st); 1500m: Harrison Carty 5:44.06 (1st); Discus: Harrison Carty 21.52m (4th); Long Jump: Harrison Carty

4.37m (5th); Triple Jump: Harrison Carty 9.34m (4th).

B13: 100m: Caleb Gillies

16.09 (9th); 200m: Caleb Gillies

33.02 (6th); Discus: Caleb Gillies 17.66m (3rd); Shot Put: Caleb Gillies 6.25m (3rd).

B12: 100m: Charles Kelly

15.97 (8th); 80m Hurdles: Charles Kelly 18.44 (7th); Long Jump: Leo Woodburne

4.29m (3rd); Triple Jump: Leo Woodburne 9.05m (2nd).

B11: 100m: Tom Benton

15.10 (5th); 400m: Samuel Mount 75.53 (4th); 800m: Samuel Mount 3:03.91 (5th); 80m Hurdles: Samuel Mount

15.91 (2nd); Tom Benton 16.57 (5th); Discus: Samuel Mount

19.73m (4th); High Jump: Tom Benton 1.30m (5th); Long Jump: Tom Benton 3.59m (5th); Samuel Mount 3.52m (6th); Triple Jump: Tom Benton

7.83m (6th).

B10: 70m: Luke Kelly 11.31 (1st); Austin Canning 12.28 (7th); 100m: Luke Kelly 15.73 (2nd); Austin Canning 16.76 (8th); 200m: Luke Kelly 33.60 (3rd); High Jump: Luke Kelly

1.13m (1st); Austin Canning

1.00m (4th); Long Jump: Luke Kelly 3.65m (2nd); Austin Canning 3.61m (3rd).

B09: 70m: Sonny Johnston

12.64 (8th);; 100m: Sonny Johnston 18.08 (9th); 200m: Sonny Johnston 38.55 (9th); 400m: Sonny Johnston 86.03 (10th).

“Over the last two seasons, AFLNEB have experienced significant growth in its female umpire participants, moving from 2 per cent in 2019 to 12 per cent in 2022,” he said.

“It’s about providing female participants with a safe, supportive and welcoming culture.

“This year, we’ve secured additional funding to support women in umpiring through new umpire uniform subsidies, have appointed a female liaison officer and will continue to work with clubs to ensure all venues have adequate facilities to support female participants.”

Operations and development support officer, Maison Ring, said an equal gender balance in umpiring was the ultimate goal.

“Our aim is through diversity and inclusion, to drive female participation in community football, creating leaders in community sport,” he said.

“And by 2030, we aim to see an equal gender balance, where the ratio of male to female umpires will be 50:50.

“The program will provide participants the opportunity and resources needed to fast track their development, support them as a female athlete and create a pathway for umpires to take their journey to ‘their destination’, with opportunities for talent identification.”

The program will be officially launched on Friday, March 31 at 5pm at the Wangaratta Sports Development Centre (WSDC) at Norm Minns Oval.

To express interest in the program visit: https://bit.ly/3YN7x7K.

Preliminary finals haunt Wangaratta

By MAURIE BRADEN

A1: WANGARATTA’S pennant bowls season came to an end when they fell in the preliminary final to Wodonga at Rutherglen on Saturday.

Wodonga jumped out to an early lead and were never headed, as they managed to hold off several Wangaratta challenges.

Wangaratta got the margin back into single figures with just 10 ends to play but Wodonga proved to be too good on the day.

Ethan Fruend, Phil Davern, Rhoanna Smith, and Greg Braden (25-18) finished as Wangaratta’s only winning rink.

Ian Brimblecombe (18-30), Maurie Braden (21-26) and Trevor Selwood (17-20) were all on the wrong side of the ledger.

Final scores: Wang 81 shots lost to Wodonga 94 shots.

A3: Wangaratta went down to Moira at Myrtleford on Saturday

With a spot in next week’s grand final at stake Wangaratta gave their

all but came up 11 shots shy.

Gary Chambers, Peter Selwood, Terry Corrigan, and Bobby McCalman (21-16) had a strong win, as did Brian Godfrey, Gary King, Barb McDonald, and Tyson Chivers (21-18).

Gary Fenlon, Gerald Brown, Terry Johnson, and Richie Allan (22-29) and Tom Morrow, Steve English, Lorna Martinelli, and Steve Bihun (11-23) both went down.

Final scores: Wang 75 shots lost to Moira 86 shots.

B1: Wangaratta were bundled out of the B1 finals in straight sets when they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of St James at Benalla on Saturday.

Ken Essenhigh, Lance Jenkin, John Knight and Joy Izard (17-17) were the best performed rink for Wangaratta, however, heavy losses to Ron McAuliffe (7-36) and Keith Izard (14-28) resulted in Wangaratta coming up a long way short of victory.

Final scores: Wang 38 shots lost to St James 81 shots.

The Wangaratta greens will host three grand finals next Saturday, with Howlong v Moira in the A3, Swanpool v Mansfield in the A4 and Moyhu v St James in the B1 division. All games will begin at 1pm.

Mid-Week Pennant:

A1: Wangaratta booked a place in the grand final after a thrilling one shot win over YMGCR at Benalla in the qualifying final.

Chris Randell, Phil Davern, Leon Quartermain and Lorna Martinelli (26-16) were big winners for Wangaratta, while Trevor Selwood, Jodie Fruend, Greg McDonald, and Leon Quartermain (18-18) managed a draw.

Despite a (11-20) loss it was Ian Brimblecombe, Paul King, Barb McDonald, and John Kane who turned into saviors as Brimblecombe drew second shot with his last bowl enabling Wangaratta to prevail.

Final scores: Wang 55 shots def YMGCR 54 shots.

Wangaratta play the winner of the YMGCR v Kiewa Valley prelim final.

FOX APPEAL MAKES IT TWO ON TROT

By WILLSON MACK

CRAIG Weeding’s Fox Appeal

($5.50) made it back-to-back wins in a great start to his racing career.

After taking out his maiden victory at Tumut on February 11, the three-year-old gelding and hoop Jett Stanley ran home to victory by more than half a length in race six (BM66) at Albury on Saturday.

The win continues a strong preparation that has seen the gelding place in his other two starts from the four runs.

Weeding said he’s been stoked with his gelding’s preparation.

“He was a bit immature when we took him to the races as a two-year-old but it was a good experience for him,” Weeding said.

“We gave him a big break (seven months between runs) and now he’s come back and been really good this prep for two placings and two wins.

“His first win at Tumut was dominant winning by four lengths and then his victory on Saturday was impressive stepping up to 66 grade against older horses and coming from last.”

Fox Appeal’s maiden win at Tumut was no doubt below his grade but Weeding said the confidence he gained from it was valuable.

“It certainly was a confidence thing (racing at Tumut) but he was a $1.30 favourite and he raced like it too,” he said.

“He’s also eligible for the BOBS bonus prizemoney so racing him at a second tier meeting worked out okay.

“He gained confidence from that win though and showed that on Saturday.”

There was plenty of depth in the son of Foxwedge’s race with the Country Championships Qualifier race day being a showcase meeting ($30,000 per race minimum).

“The race definitely did have good depth to it being a showcase meeting,” Weeding said.

“He was very lightly raced compared to some of the other horses so he did a really good job.

“The plan going forward will be looking towards the Albury Guineas (Albury Gold Cup Day) but he’ll have a run between now and then which will probably be in a class two at Wagga next week.”

Fox Appeal’s victory was made all the more special with one of the owners in the syndicate, Kat Attard, losing her mother last week.

“It was a nice win for the owners because they’ve been big supporters of the stable and owned one of my old horse’s Radiant Warrior before going in this horse,” Weeding said.

“Kat Attard, one of the owners, lost her mum last week so it was a special win for her as well.

“Jett Stanley wore a black armband during the race for her which was great.”

Weeding won’t attack this weekend’s Wangaratta Cup Day but will have a large contingent of runners the following Saturday at the Echuca Cup.

“We won’t have a heap of horses at Wangaratta on Saturday but we’re planning to take a few to Echuca the following weekend,” he said.

“Prince Of Helena will hopefully run in the Echuca Cup and Big Day Out might run in the Shadoways Sprint.”

A3: Wangaratta won through to the A3 grand final with an impressive win over Dederang at Wodonga in the qualifying final.

Gary Fenlon, Peter Selwood, Gayle King, and Steve Bihun (31-10) set up the big win, while Bev Hogan, Ron McAuliffe, Gary King, and Heather Coyle (18-15) also won.

Gary Chambers, Terry Corrigan, Lyn Kahlefeldt and Chris Bell (1416) suffered a close loss.

Final scores: Wang 63 shots def Dederang 41 shots.

Wangaratta will play the winner of the Dederang v Wodonga preliminary final.

B1: Moyhu bowed out of the finals when they suffered a heavy defeat against Corowa RSL in the elimination final.

Corowa were untroubled with Charlie Thompson (15-29), Joe Northey (15-12) and Stuart Brain (732) all going down.

Final scores: Moyhu 34 Shots lost to Corowa RSL 76 shots.

SOFT TOUCH: Mark Gorman volleys. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

Family battle in top section

By FOOT FAULT

THE Allen family controlled section one of the 18th round of aggregate tennis.

Sam and dad Matt both won 22 games with Sam having less games against.

Younger brother Joe came third with 17 games, while Matt Curran and Mark Brown came in at fourth and fifth respectively.

Kevin Callahan proved too strong in section two winning the maximum games of 24, while archrival Barry Sullivan was second with 15.

Jack Gerrish who relished the stronger competition after a successful week at Country Week was next with 14 games and Ash Weston with 13.

Michael Clarke, with youth on his side, won section three with 24 games from the in-form Macdonald with 19.

Yarrawonga visitor Noel Thomas was third with 16 and Mike Lairson and Maree Sullivan came in fourth and fifth.

Ben Kneebone continued his excellent Country Week form to score the maximum 24 games from his cousin Jim Gales with 17, followed by Mike Falkenberg on 16 and Michelle Flynn on 15.

Section five was the most evenly contested section for the day.

Greg Renner was just too good for his opponents with a maximum 24 games ahead of Pat Flynn and Alan Busk on 20 games, Flynn with 16 against and Busk with 18.

Phil Dryden had a good day with 17 games followed by Mark Gorman.

Matt Murray was the standout player in section six with his powerful serves and forehand, winning with 24 games 11 against.

Andrew Cope 18, Russell Canning 17, Geoff Davidson 16 and Beth Cope 15 filled the rest of the section.

The cagey Max McAuliffe was pleased with his maximum 24 games in section seven.

Tom Gerrish also had an excellent day with 22 showing much improved form that could see him higher on the aggregate list before long.

Sue Piper and Cath Geard tied with 16 games for and 23 against.

SPECIAL: Fox Appeal (pictured with Craig Weeding and Kat Attard) made it two wins in a row at Albury on Saturday.

Bound for Bushies

■ From back page

Many previous Bushrangers have found their way onto AFL and AFLW lists in recent years through stellar performances in the talent league, and Wilson said this year he expected more players to impress recruiters.

“Through the girls’ and the boys’ programs last year we had a total of 10 players drafted, so there are 10 kids from the region who are now training with AFL clubs that weren’t at this time last year,” he said.

Two winners for Warriors

By WILLSON MACK

TEN Wangaratta junior Warriors teams attacked the Benalla Tournament over the weekend.

The competition was played at the Benalla, Wangaratta and Myrtleford stadiums, which saw six Wangaratta sides make grand finals.

But it was the under 18 and under 14 girls teams who had a successful weekend, coming away with titles in their respective age groups.

In the u18’s the girls won their

Mitta Mountain Rally returns

THE annual Mitta Mountain Rally will return to the Mitta Valley for the seventh time since 2016 with over 90 entries ready to ride the valley.

This year it is on March 4, only one week before the Mitta Muster.

It will be the opening round of the Motorsport Australia Till Hino Victorian Rally Championship and the Hoosier Tyres New South Wales Rally Championship, as well as incorporating the Mitta Masters, a rally for classic cars over thirty years old and classic elderly crews.

It is also round 1 of the East Coast Classic Rally Series with rounds in four states, and then there is also a shorter sub event as the opening round of the Victorian Club Rally Series.

Overall there will be 80 starters; 34 are entered for the Victorian Championship, 16 for the NSW Championship, 11 for the Mitta Masters, and 22 for the Victorian Club Rally Series event.

Outright victory is likely to be fought out by top seeds Riley Walters/Andrew Crowley in a Subaru and Tim Wilkins/Jim Gleeson in a Mitsubishi, both from NSW and Jamie Pohlner/Adam Branford also in an Evo 9 from SA.

The Victorian challenge will be in the two-wheel drive and come from Adrian Stratford/Kain Manning in a Toyota Corolla and Brendan Reeves/Kate Raymond in a Datsun 1600.

The Mitta Masters looks to be

grand final clash well with a 2912 victory over Deniliquin Giants, while the u14’s saluted 36-25 against Shepparton Gators.

Under 18 girls coach Ian Pople said it was a great end to the representative season.

“For four of the teams it was their last local tournament with the junior Warriors,” Pople said.

“It was very much such a nice way to end the season.

“This is my second year coaching the girls and they didn’t win a game

last season so to come back and win this tournament was awesome.

“The majority of the players from last year came back because they enjoyed the basketball and hanging out with their friends and they’ve all improved and made friendships which is why we do it.”

In the final it was Felicity Camplin (six points) and Charlotte Pople (five points) who led the Warriors, while Bonnie Everett (six points) top scored for the Giants.

“The first eight minutes of the fi-

nal were close but after that we dominated but just couldn’t score - our defence was excellent and we were controlling the game,” Pople said.

“We got out to a 10 point lead though and Deniliquin didn’t score from early in the first half to hallway through the second.

“We dominated the game and it was one of those times where we never felt like we would lose.

“There was a good mix of players that scored as well, all scored besides one which was great.”

“We’re confident we’ll be really competitive on the field and hopefully both teams will have successful years.

“The measure of success in this competition isn’t necessarily through wins and losses, it’s through getting players some exposure to this level of footy and hopefully getting under the eyes of the recruiters in the AFL and AFLW.”

The girls’ squad was named in January, with Asha Foubister, Trinny Preer and Amelie Thompson from Wangaratta Rovers Female Football Club earning a spot in the side.

Roos’ hoodoo puts end to club for 2023

■ From back page

“This vote means our focus turns to resetting for 2024 with respect to our facilities, playing lists and our position in the Ovens & Murray,” Hosier said.

“We as a board will look at all avenues of continuing this great club as we are, however, we must be open to all options available for the greater good of football and netball in the region.”

Formal discussions between CorowaRutherglen and other local clubs have yet to take place, however, CorowaRutherglen will engage in such discussions over the coming weeks.

dominated again as in previous years by the classy classic BDG Ford Escorts, in the hands of previous winners all the way from Ireland, Tom Dermody/Eoin Moynihan, and former champion Ian Hill/Phil Bonser.

Local crews include Jason Lennane/Jasmine Lockley in a Honda Civic from Myrtleford, and the two car Wodonga Car World team of Lochy Reed/Lucas Reed in a Ford Fiesta and Thomas West/ Steve Dunbar in a Hyundai Excel.

Event sponsor Gordon Douglas is making a return to the sport after many years out of the action in his Ford Escort, accompanied by Will Murphy.

The rally will be based at the

Mitta Recreation Reserve, looping out into surrounding forest and shire roads for closed road competitive stages and back to the service park for rest, refreshment and car maintenance.

Starting at 8.30am the first loop will head north in and around the Bullhead Range, while the final loop will head south towards Mt Wills.

Crews will arrive for the finish from 3pm to 6.30pm, when a champagne presentation will be held for the podium finishers.

The day’s activities will conclude with a presentation function at the Mitta Pub on Saturday night, where the event patron, Warwick Smith, a former national and state rally

champion will present trophies, including a cup in his name for the winner of the Mitta Masters event.

Anyone wanting to venture out the bush to see the cars in action can grab a spectator guide from the Eskdale, Mitta or Dartmouth stores from Friday morning.

The rally organisers, the Albury Wodonga and District Car Club in partnership with the North Eastern Car Club have appreciated the sponsorship of Border Oils and Batteries and the local cooperation from the Mitta Recreation Reserve committee, Towong Shire, Forest Fire Management Victoria, VicForests, Police, CFA, SES and Ambulance as well as local landholders.

“We need to respect our own members, the Ovens & Murray FNL, players who had committed to us, and of course respect the other local clubs in our area and their own seasons,” Hosier said.

“The position we are in cannot be taken lightly, and there are a lot of scenarios and conversations that will need to take place.

“We are open to all of these, and plan to continue to deliver open communication to our members on what has been formally discussed and agreed as it happens.”

RALLY UP: Over 90 entries of rally car racers are set to head to the Mitta Valley this weekend for the annual Mitta Mountain Rally on March 4.

STARS: The winning u14 Warriors team.

WINNERS: The Wangaratta Warriors u18 girls took out the Benalla Tournament on the weekend.

Two winners for Warriors

Page 31

Roos’ hoodoo puts end to club for 2023

COROWA-Rutherglen won’t field any senior football or netball sides in the Ovens and Murray in 2023.

The membership base of the Corowa-Rutherglen Football Netball Club have voted in favour of the board’s recommendation to sit out of senior football and netball for the 2023 season.

The vote, which took place on Monday night saw 84 votes in favour of the recommendation, and two votes opposing the position.

The club had advised the situation to members at an open member meeting on the February 2 where the predicament of playing numbers for this season was outlined.

With the votes now counted, the club has now confirmed that no football or A and B grade netball teams will take the field in the O&M in 2023, with an eye to reset for 2024.

“We thank our members and sponsors for supporting the club’s position despite the intense and ongoing efforts of our club volunteers to get teams together for 2023,” club president Graham Hosier said.

“With this now completed, our focus turns fully toward our position of a reset for 2024, as was the framework for this vote.

“Whilst we don’t yet know what 2024 will look like, the work has already begun on mapping this out.

“This means that all options are on the table, and all of our focus goes into the 2024 season from a senior perspective, whilst still supporting our C grade, under 17 and under 15 netball teams who will continue to participate in the 2023 OMFNL season.”

With the now confirmed position of a reset for 2024, the club will also continue dialogue with the wider community around what football and netball in the Corowa region looks like.

■ Continued page 31

CLOSE CALL

Bound for Bushies

Wangaratta talents named in Murray Bushrangers squad for Coates Talent League g y g q f C g

A CROP of nine up-and-coming stars from Wangaratta’s two O&M football clubs have been picked in the Murray Bushrangers under 18 boys squad for the upcoming Coates Talent League, formerly the NAB League.

Joe Berry (Wangaratta Magpies), Harrison Hewitt (Wangaratta Magpies), Charley Holland-Dean (Wangaratta Magpies), Xavier Laverty (Wangaratta Magpies), Charles Ledger (Wangaratta Rovers), Will McCarthy (Wangaratta Rovers), Joshua Tweedale (Wangaratta Magpies), Darcy Wilson (Wangaratta Rovers), and Daniel Young (Wangaratta Magpies) have all earned selection in the 51man squad.

Round one of the Bushrangers’

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

boys’ Coates Talent League season gets underway on Sunday, March 26 at Morwell against Gippsland Power.

Bushrangers talent manager Mick Wilson said the effort from the squad so far has been exceptional.

“It always is at a pretty intense level - one of the aims of our program is to prepare players to step right into an AFL program, so the level of intensity, volume and duration is all pretty scientific,” he said.

“It’s been a pretty full-on

preseason, we’ve got four squads going at the moment with the under 16 boys and girls and the under 18 boys and girls.

“It’s a pretty intense period - the girls and boys will go down the Melbourne and do their testing days, which is conducted by the AFL.

“Then they’re tied in with camps, so both teams will have a weekend away and they’ll go through a variety of education and skill development sessions.

“The boys will play a practice match against the Bendigo Pioneers, and then both sides head into round one which for the girls is Sunday, March 19 in Rumbalara, and for the boys it’s Sunday, March 26 down in Morwell.”

■ Continued page 31

CALLED UP: Wangaratta Magpies’ Charley Holland-Dean is one of nine local players named in the under 18 boys Murray Bushrangers squad.

PHOTO: Melissa Beattie

WANGARATTA Magpies’ bowler Harry Gumley attempts a run out only for it to be called not out in their clash with Yarrawonga Mulwala on Saturday morning.  Snapshots: Page 28

PHOTO: Melissa Beattie