VICSES Wangaratta Unit volunteers and police were kept busy Saturday responding to various emergencies stemming from Wangaratta’s wettest November week in 70 years. More than 106mm during the week saw this large boulder roll onto the Wangandary Road, while flash flooding and felled trees blocked other roads around the rural city.
STORY: PAGE 3 PHOTO : VICSES Wangaratta Unit
Rate cap constraints, workforce challenges of rural city echoed in statewide inquiry
WORKFORCE challenges and nancial constraints experienced by Rural City of Wangaratta (RCOW) Council have been put in the spotlight by a Victorian local government inquiry report.
Chaired by Northern Victoria MP Georgie Purcell, the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee released its nal report of a year-long inquiry into local government funding and services on Thursday, a er
BY BAILEY ZIMMERMANN bzimmermann@ nemedia.com.au
extensive input from all 79 councils and other stakeholders such as ratepayers.
The report outlined 47 ndings and 48 recommendations addressing rate capping, grants, cost shiing, core services and the nancial sustainability of local councils.
The inquiry found councils’ rising infrastructure and service delivery costs are outpacing growth in federal/state grant funding, with some councils’ services already being reduced or stopped as a result.
The report recommends the Victorian Auditor-General investigate the impacts of cost shi ing by the federal and state governments onto local councils.
It also calls for reviews of the ratings system and rate cap for-
mula, increased untied funding for councils to address key areas such as roads, and the consideration of growth funds to support infrastructure for di erent groups of councils experiencing rapid growth.
There’s recommendations to reinstate the 50:50 shared funding split between the state and local governments for public libraries and the School Crossing Supervisor program.
Another proposal suggests the
Council Planning Flying Squad be reinstated to help ease the backlog of planning requests for the state’s 48 regional and rural councils.
Rural city Mayor Irene Grant said council put forward 17 recommendations to the committee, which were highlighted in the inquiry’s nal report.
“It looks as if the committee has considered the submission the Rural City of Wangaratta put in,” she said.
■ Continued page 2
■ From page 1
“Rate capping has made a signi cant di erence to how local government raises revenue since it was introduced.
“We’re locked in to raising a certain amount of money but the costs in everything we do from sta ng to providing services and sourcing materials have increased.
“There are other ways council raises revenue and we’re certainly exploring that as an organisation.”
Workforce challenges within the RCOW was used as a case study in the nal report, which outlined council faced signi cant di culties, particularly in recruiting and retaining skilled personnel
for critical service areas including environmental health o cers and arborists.
“Wangaratta Rural City Council doesn’t have the size for career-building programs or scholarships to develop these skills internally,” the case study read.
“As a result, larger councils or the private sector can be more attractive employers… housing shortages further exacerbate recruitment difculties.
“The council’s proactive measures aim to mitigate these issues, but the combination of regional disadvantages and an aging workforce continues to present signi cant hurdles.”
Mayor Grant said she was pleased the committee’s response addressed council’s concern and acknowledged the issue faced by local governments in the state.
“It’s not always easy to get the people that you need and recruiting the right sort of personnel is a challenge we face into the future,” she said.
“The employment environment has changed substantially in recent years and that has an impact on how you do business.
“Not only that, but it’s
lenges facing not only local government, but employment in general.”
The report also highlighted RCOW Council concerns around using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as a basis for setting the rate cap and dependency on state and federal government grants for council revenue streams.
Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) president Jennifer Anderson said it was clear the committee had taken submissions put forward by the Victorian
important,” she said.
“The MAV will continue to advocate for the recommendations within the report and other key challenges like the Fire Services Property Levy, money collected each year through the land ll levy into waste minimisation and resource recovery, and exempting councils from the Windfall Gains Tax.”
Mayor Grant said she looked forward to the State Government’s response to the report, who have six months to respond in writing to any Rural City of Wangaratta Mayor Irene Grant says council’s highlighted workforce challenges are a key issue in the newly released inquiry into Victoria’s Local Government.
PLAQUE UNVEILED TO MARK OXLEY’S 200TH MILESTONE
Oxley Shire Hall was packed solid on Saturday as community members celebrated 200 years since Oxley Plains was named by explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell when they travelled through the region.
A highlight of the event was the official unveiling of a bronze plaque to mark the milestone.
Suicide prevention, life care seminar offers help
BY JORDAN DUURSMA
jduursma@ nemedia.com.au
THE Wangaratta community is invited to join in a life-changing suicide prevention seminar, hosted by Rapid Response Ministries (RRM) chaplaincy in collaboration with SU Australia, Zac’s Place and Victory Community this Thursday, December 5 from 7pm to 9:30pm at Victory Community on Ryan Avenue.
National director of RRM, Mark Bateman, will discuss topics and provide practical steps to equip attendees to support those experiencing suicidal thoughts and empower attendees to make a di erence in the lives of those around them.
Organiser Di Duursma said the SU team believes everyone should know how to help a person who has suicidal thoughts, just like knowing how to do CPR.
“Our lives have all been touched by someone who has decided they aren’t going to stay here with us anymore and we want to say to the community, please stay,” she said.
“Where professional resources can feel stretched and wait times
to see mental heath professionals, medial practitioners and support services can seem like a long time, there are things we can do as the community in the meantime.
“This seminar brings people together to collectively say that when things get hard and dark, we are not going to give up and we are here.
“The more people that get together to say something, the louder that message gets.”
The seminar will cover topic such as: do we have a suicide problem, myths around suicide, how to nd out if someone is having suicidal thoughts, assessing someone’s situation, intervention, high risk groups, supporting teams and caring for carers.
Ms Duursma said the event is responding to a need in the community.
“We have noticed a much high-
er vulnerability towards suicide in the last month,” she said.
“We are aware that over Christmas the suicide rate spikes, so before we get to Christmas - a time of year which is really di cult for so many people - we wanted to be able to resource our community.
“This seminar will help people feel a sense of hope instead of helplessness, that actually as a community we can do something about this.”
Ms Duursma encourages everyone to come along.
“You don’t need any quali cations to walk alongside somebody,” she said.
“We all know other people and if we are all looking out for each other it makes a huge di erence.”
The event is open to everyone free of charge, it is not recommended for those under the age of 15 due to the nature of the topics to be discussed.
For more information, contact Di Duursma at 0419 530 455.
If you are in an emergency or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, please contact emergency services on 000. Other services include Lifeline at 13 13 14 or lifeline.org.au or Suicide Call Back Service at 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au.
EQUIPPING THE COMMUNITY: Di Duursma is encouraging locals to attend a life care and suicide prevention seminar to equip themselves to support those at risk in our community. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Pictured with the plaque are (from left) Russell Godde, Annette Woods, Barbara Goode, Alison Stephens, Helen Haines (Indi Independent federal MP), Don Heath, Paula McGavin, Neil Brock, Jannet Heath and Sally Day.
PHOTO: Amanda Chrystal
Busy end to wettest November week in 70 years
By JEFF ZEUSCHNER
WANGARATTA’S wettest November week in 70 years kept emergency services busy, with felled trees, a rockslide and ash ooding blocking roads in and around the rural city on Saturday.
VICSES Wangaratta Unit
controller Jess Zuber said around 26 unit members had responded to 24 calls for assistance in the week, with half of them on Friday and Saturday alone.
“Most calls were for trees over roads and building damage,” Ms Zuber said.
“Springhurst had a number of trees down on Friday night, and we had a number of private residences and com-
mercial buildings su er rain damage in Wangaratta.”
SES, police and council work crews kept busy Saturday morning closing a number of local roads impacted by ash ooding, cleared a large tree blocking a road at Cheshunt and cleared a large boulder blocking Wangandary Road in the Warby Range.
“The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting more storms Tuesday, and rainfall this weekend, so we’re asking everyone to take extra care while driving was we expect additional trees and debris on roads, and people should gear up for another potential wet week,” Ms Zuber.
According to the bureau’s weather station at Wangaratta
Airport, Wangaratta recorded 105.8mm of rainfall for the week up until 9am Sunday.
During the same period, Mt Hotham received 233mm, Mt Bu alo Chalet 191.2mm, Harrietville 164mm, Upper Buckland 149mm, Cheshunt 152.6mm, Greta West 145.2mm, Carboor Upper 119mm and Bobinawarrah 109.2mm.
Despite all the rain, no riverine ooding occurred, with falls soaking into unsaturated ground and replenishing the water table, reducing the volume of run-o into rivers and streams.
Readings at midday Sunday showed both levels of the Ovens and King river steady - the Ovens in Wangaratta at 9.95m (minor ood level 11.90m),
and the King at Cheshunt at 1.24m (minor ood level 1.80m).
Wangaratta’s November rainfall total ended at 126mm, which is more than double the monthly average.
Retired CSIRO climatologist and Wangaratta Chronicle columnist Peter Nelson said last month was Wangaratta’s wettest since 151.7mm in 1954.
“The 43.2mm which fell to Saturday morning made it the wettest November day since 1998 and the wettest for the end of November since 45.5mm in 1934,” he said
“Weather pro les continue to match those of 1954 this year in Victoria and there will be more heavy rain and thunderstorms in early December.”
Memories flood back as Oxley Primary celebrates
BY JEFF ZEUSCHNER jzeuschner@ nemedia.com.au
FORMER Oxley Primary School principals Dan O’Flaherty and Chris Norris were in awe of the school they once called home.
“I can’t believe the facilities they’ve got here now... they’re at least double what I recall,” Dan noted, as he wandered the classrooms, shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of past and current students, teachers and parents, enjoying the school’s 150th anniversary celebrations on Saturday morning.
There was more than one wry smirk painted on the principals’ faces as they canvassed walls of photos spanning the decades, jolting schoolyard memories back to life.
Chris was principal from 1984-85, with Dan taking over for the next six years, with student numbers around 70 during both their tenures.
“When I started the physical set-up of the school saw the students crammed into three rooms,” Chris recalled.
“We had highly support-
ive parents and in the absence of being able to get additional facilities from the department (education), we decided to build our own classroom.
“The school community took out a loan and the community built the classroom within six months, and
Arrest warrant issued for woman on multiple charges
WANGARATTA police are appealing for public assitance to locate Maddison Miller (pictured)
A warrant has been issued for the 29-yearold’s arrest in relation to kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated burglary and drugs.
Miller is also charged with allegedly stealing belongings from a homeless man at Tarrawingee, and a 12-seater bus in Myrtleford from charity Riding Develops Ability.
Police said Miller is known to frequent the Wangaratta, Footscray, Maidstone, Braybrook and St Albans areas.
Anyone with information on her current whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www. crimestoppersvic.com.au.
the loan was repaid within around the same time.
“Ironically, a couple of weeks a er we nished the build the department rang and said they were going to give us another portable classroom.
“I told them we’ve built our own, and they said well
Police investigate fatal car crash
WANGARATTA Highway Patrol members are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal single-vehicle crash at Nathalia on Saturday night.
you can still have this one too.”
Both Dan and Chris said the strong sense of community has always been a strength at the school.
“You worked closely with the parents and they trusted you with their children,” Dan said.
“They were very supportive and there was a strong sense of collegiality among sta ....we were all on the same page and we had great kids who were resilient and here to learn...and they’ve gone into a variety of interesting careers.”
Dan and Chris said Oxley
A Nissan pulsar was travelling north on the Murray Valley Highway when it veered off the road and struck a tree about 6.35pm.
The sole occupant, a 63-yearold Nathalia man, was located deceased at the scene.
Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the crash are yet to be established and officers will prepare a report for the coroner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or with footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
was one the leaders in early integration programs for children with a learning or physical disability, and the school’s week-long excursions to Melbourne, or Wilsons Promontory to give the “country kids a city or beach experience” was a highlight.
“Sport was also a big thing at the school, with (teachers) Rose Watson and Di Murray having a ‘win at all costs’ attitude,” said Dan.
Rose said things weren’t always serious, recalling an April fools joke where students were told they would have to carry the sports equipment for athletics practice as there was no bus.
“The kids got us back though, with for sale signs plastered on our cars and the school,” she laughed.
Current principal Tim Seal and school council president Sally Day addressed the large crowd during o cial proceedings, which included the opening a new garden for the school’s 100-strong students to enjoy, as well as a comprehensive history lesson from Harriet Day spanning 1860 from the rst push for a school, through to modern day.
Bilyana Presents
IT’S WET: Apex Park wasn’t flooded, but its access road was on Saturday morning. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Plenty of rain and unseasonal humidity for the North East
THE arrival of heavy thunderstorms in North East Victoria on Sunday, November 17 effectively ended the long warm, very dry conditions which had persisted for many weeks.
And subsequent rains during last week saw us endure very warm and humid conditions.
My ginger cat Lilly hasn’t been the same since she was soaked during Sunday’s storm when 33.8 mms was recorded in my gauge in an hour.
The rainfall was produced by a low pressure trough crossing our region.
A second low pressure trough crossed the Bight and interacted with two low pressure centers over inland Queensland, resulting in a period of unsettled conditions with thunderstorms which may continue into early this week.
Heavy rain was recorded at both Renmark and Mildura.
Renmark recorded 36mms to Monday morning, November 25 - the wettest November day since 76mms on November 17, 1961.
Mildura’s 42mms was also the wettest November day since 1961.
The period July 1961 to November 1961 was very similar to this year.
This will also mean the absence
SOCIAL FOCUS
WHAT’S UP WITH THE WEATHER?
By Peter
of very hot days of over 35 degrees in our regions until the second week of December.
The records for the period November 17, 1961 up to the beginning of December did show a lengthy spell of humid conditions with thunderstorms, with the first very hot day near 38 degrees finally arriving on Sunday, December 3.
Melbourne had successive days of dense fogs last week which is rare for November, with violent thunderstorms on Wednesday which caused much damage to properties.
Dew point temperatures of 17 to 22 degrees over most of Victoria, NSW and QLD last week were well above normal for November.
And in fact at 6pm last Tuesday, November 26, the dew point temperature reached 25.7 degrees at Rutherglen, which is the highest ever reading in Victoria and two degrees higher than the average of 23.5 degrees in November in Darwin.
Little change is expected from the
very warm and humid conditions with thunderstorms into this week.
There will be large hail in some thunderstorms possibly larger than golf ball size.
Rainfalls up to November 29 have exceeded the November average in many North East towns, including Wangaratta 79mms, Rutherglen 99mms, Benalla, 75.6mms, Yarrawonga 53mms, Edi Upper 117mms, Falls Creek 174mms and Mt Buller 152 mms.
Lake Dartmouth had 70.8mms in the 24 hours to 9am Thursday - it’s highest daily total in 106 years of records.
Previous wettest November days were in 1971 and 2021.
This month’s total at Lake Dartmouth to date has reached 130mms and this is the fourth wettest November exceeding 100mms in succession.
MAKING A SPLASH: One of the best things about rainy conditions is that they offer the chance for the young - and young at heart - to enjoy muddy puddles. Wangaratta’s Hunter Lorman was certainly doing that last week in between showers which dumped more than 53mm of rain up until Friday morning.
Events helped to connect champions of change
THE Centre Against Violence (CAV) recently hosted two incredible events, both highlighting how communities can come together to make a real difference in improving safety for all. CAV reflected on the work it has done and the journey ahead.
Special guests Matt and Sarah Brown, founders of She’s Not Your Rehab, shared their stories about the impact of men being involved at a community level, supporting each other, and the positive outcomes that flow through to a safer community.
Later, Matt Brown joined more than 120 men from all walks of life for CAV’s Men of Action – Champions for Change event.
Men of all ages, including teachers, coaches, business owners, and students, came together to learn how they can support one another and inspire respect in the next generation.
The CAV team was thrilled and deeply moved by the turnout and local support. Go to centreagainstviolence.org.au to see more opportunities to be involved.
PHOTO: Amy Ratcliffe
CHAMPIONING CHANGE: Matt and Sarah Brownfounders of She Is Not Your Rehab - address the crowd.
SHARING STORIES: Karla Boots at the book signing with Matt and Sarah Brown.
COLLABORATION: Working towards positive change are (from left) Adrian Johnstone, Jaime Chubb, Tanya Lowes, Mary Reid, Sarah Treloar, Melinda Edwards and David Kidd.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT: Darcy Fyffe, Nick Mason, Ben Demeo were among the community member to support the positive changes Centre Against Violence is championing in the community.
Nelson, retired CSIRO climatologist
Applications open for RSL’s $25,000 community grants
A POOL of $25,000 in funding is again available to local community groups and organisations, through the Wangaratta RSL Sub-Branch Community Grants Program, with applications now invited.
The program, which has been running since 2019, was developed following the club’s establishment at its new
premises in Templeton Street, allowing it to increase its support for the local community.
As a not-for-pro t organisation which primarily serves the needs of returned service defence members within Wangaratta and surrounds, the club created the funding program to assist other community-based organisations in delivering ben-
e ts to those in need.
It aims to support groups which carry out programs and projects addressing social issues, such as problem gambling, drug and alcohol abuse, and family violence, or which provide facilities for Rural City of Wangaratta residents.
The grant program has previously supported Wanga-
ratta groups including Centre Against Violence, Open Door Neighbourhood House, Wangaratta Bowls and Sports Club, Upper Murray Family Care, Zonta, University of the Third Age, Women’s Health Goulburn North East, Peak Football, Boys to the Bush, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Thread Together, and Into our Hands.
“Wangaratta RSL SubBranch is proud to assist local organisations which are supporting those in need of help within the Wangaratta community,” Wangaratta RSL Sub-Branch treasurer Ron Sneddon said.
“The funds have helped deliver a range of bene cial programs to those in need.”
Application forms and guidelines for the grants are now available by contacting the club’s secretary, Andrew McDonell via email at secretary@wangarattarsl.org.au, or by phoning the club on 5721 2501 and asking to speak to the sub-branch secretary. Successful applications will be announced next year.
WANGARATTA THE TICKET FOR BUS TRIAL
By SIMONE KERWIN
NEW Victorian public transport ticketing technology is being road-tested in Wangaratta.
Passengers using four local bus routes are the first in the state to trial new ticket readers which allow tap-and-go payments for fares.
The trial began on Monday, and is expected to run for up to six months, as part of the State Government’s next step towards modernising Victoria’s public transport ticketing system.
Wangaratta was chosen to trial tap-and-go payments due to its size and its bus operations.
As a mid-sized location, it was well-suited to test the technology in a targeted way with a sufficient number of passengers.
The trial is open to full-fare paying passengers, who can choose to pay their fare using a Mastercard or Visa card, smart phone or smart watch.
Passengers participating in the trial just need to tap on each time
Haines backs new social media laws
By BAILEY ZIMMERMANN
FEDERAL MP for Indi Helen Haines saw a “cause for intervention” in voting in favour of the Federal Government’s world- rst social media laws last Friday.
The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill passed parliament on Friday morning to ban people under the age of 16 from using platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.
Messaging platforms like WhatsApp, as well as YouTube and gaming platforms, are not covered under the new laws.
Dr Haines previously cited she was undecided on her support of the Bill and sought further details and consultation from the Indi community before making her decision. She said she scrutinised the legislation and raised her concerns relating to privacy and data, but an amendment made in the law to prevent social media companies from using government-issued ID documents or Digital ID services to verify users’ age was a key compo-
nent in her decision.
“As parents, one of our most constant concerns is the wellbeing of our children,” she said.
“The negative e ects of social media, including bullying and access to damaging material, have had signicant, and sometimes tragic, consequences for children and their families.
“For some young people, social media has helped them nd comfort with their sense of self, given them a voice, or nd likeminded people.
“We must make social media safer for all Australians.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the media on Friday morning and said the new law, which no other government has, and many parents have tried to implement, is necessary to protect mental health and wellbeing of our children and adolescence.
“Parents can have a different discussion with their young ones...a di erent discussion that will result in better outcomes and less harm for young Australians,” he said.
“We’ve got your back is our
message to Australian parents.”
The laws will not come into e ect until late-2025 and it will be under the onus of tech companies to keep under 16s o their platforms.
Penalties of up to $50 million can be enforced among companies who do not take “reasonable steps” to ensure users are aged 16 or over, while there are no penalties in place for young people or parents who out the rules.
Dr Haines said she was committed to robust, ongoing scrutiny of how the Bill will work in practice as the completion of a trial of age-assurance technology was expected to be completed by mid-2025.
“I am prepared to look at changes on this as we see how it works in practice,” she said.
Dr Haines said big tech companies have a duty of care that requires them to design platforms that are safer for all users.
“It includes giving people more control over their data and the algorithms that are used to manipulate them,” she said.
they board a bus using a debit or credit card, smart phone or smart watch.
Taking part in the trial is not compulsory and, if preferred, passengers can continue to pay for their travel with cash as normal.
The new readers have been installed on all buses running across the four Wangaratta bus routes.
The trial will allow the Department of Transport and Planning to gather insights from the public and the operator, as well as test installation, training and software.
Findings from this trial will inform the design and delivery of the rollout of new myki technology.
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said: “The trial in Wangaratta will help shape the design and delivery of our ticketing system, making sure it has been tried and tested by the public on the ground in regional Victoria. “We’re investing in technology to improve our ticketing system by giving passengers more options and making it simpler and quicker to travel on our network.”
ROAD TEST: Public Transport Victoria customer service representative Samantha Bourjau demonstrates the new ticket reader for tap-and-go payments, which is being trialled on four Wangaratta bus routes. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Sobering inquiry requires action
SYMPTOMS have been evident for some time, but the report card on the ‘health’ of local councils in Victoria still makes for sober reading, and requires prompt and decisive action.
Last week’s release of the year-long parliamentary inquiry into local government funding and services in Victoria laid bare endemic challenges and concerns for the state’s 79 councils.
Not surprisingly, cost-shifting from state and federal government onto councils, a reduction in grants funding and rate capping have only increased the complexities of balancing financial sustainability against maintaining core services.
During the recent council elections in Victoria some community members were keen to see council return to the traditional three Rs - roads, rates and rubbish - but that simply isn’t a reality.
Over decades successive governments have handballed responsibilities for many other important community services - and in the case of public libraries and school crossing guards - reduced funding so ratepayers, not taxpayers, are shouldering more of the burden.
The inquiry makes 48 recommendations and the jury is still out as to what, if any, will be acted upon by the government.
What is clear however, is that if our community values having a local council - and it should as our most directly accountable form of government - then we need to maintain pressure on state and federal governments to deliver on the most vexing needs outlined in the inquiry.
There are already many who believe local government has a target on its back from the state - so their response, or lack of, could reveal more.
The Quiz No. 113
1. Who was named Player of the Match for the 2016-17 Big Bash League final?
2. Which company makes Pop-Tarts?
3. In which sea is Grenada located?
4. A carnophobe is scared of what?
5. What is the female version of John Doe?
6. Which Australian Idol winner was a contestant on the 2017 series of I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!?
7. What are the colours of the three stripes on the flag of Croatia?
8. How many cards are in a standard deck of UNO cards?
9. Who is credited with creating the first version of the periodic table of elements?
10. Which sport is featured in the 1998 movie, The Big Lebowski?
11. Ivana Zelnícková and Marla Maples were the first two wives of which famous person?
12. Which cartoon series had a cat named Benny the Ball?
13. What are the two official languages of Cameroon?
14. Who partnered John Peers when they won the 2017 Australian Open Men’s Doubles title?
15. Which two countries are connected by the Oresund Bridge?
16. Who wrote the 1982 book, Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche?
17. Which fruit comes in the varieties of Bacon, Fuerte, Gwen, and Pinkerton?
18. Mount Fairweather is one of the highest mountains in which country of the Americas?
19. Which singer has fans known as Parrotheads?
20. In what year was Windows XP first released?
FACEBOOK users this week commented on a stolen Beechworth shipping container.
• Nick Richards: How does one steal a shipping container?
• Maree Delaney: Nick Richards with a semi trailer. Facebook users this week also commented on the rain gauge recordings following heavy rain on Wednesday evening.
• Jacinta Wighton: 15mm in about 15 min
• Chris Knight: 17 in Winton Facebook users this week also commented on new Christmas decorations for the CBD’s roundabouts.
• Susan Callus: Well done Heath
• Paul Crabb: I see them being installed this morning, should look great when lit up Facebook users this week also commented on severe thunderstorm warnings.
Inquiry reveals costshifting on to councils
THE Allan Labor Government’s excessive and damaging cost-shi ing on to councils has been exposed in a Parliamentary inquiry tabled last week.
Several critical issues were insu ciently addressed in the inquiry into Local Government Funding and Services report released on Thursday.
A Liberals and Nationals minority report raises a ra of key concerns, including:
• Renewable energy facilities rate contributions: under the Payments in Lieu of Rates scheme, renewable energy facilities bypass paying their fair share, forcing regional communities to cover the shortfall.
• Fire Services Levy contributions: while renewable energy facilities increase re risks, they pay subsidised rates, leaving farmers and regional families - many of whom volunteer with the CFA - to pay disproportionate costs.
• Cultural heritage processes delaying and blocking developments: unregulated and expensive cultural heritage assessments are stalling crucial projects, costing councils and communities millions.
The Liberals and Nationals broadly support the majority report’s ndings and recommendations, however, several alarming issues were laid bare.
The government must take immediate action on these recommendations to deliver a fair and nancially sustainable local government sector that serves all communities fairly and equitably.
Labor’s cuts, incompetence, and costshi ing have le councils with no choice but to cut or reduce many essential services.
Melina Bath, Shadow Minister for Local Government
Crucial services cut at Parks Victoria
IN the face of major funding and sta ng cuts, Parks Victoria will be shutting down 51 crucial services that are used to manage their millions of hectares of land across the state.
Of the 111 services Parks Victoria carries out over their 4.12 million hectares of public land, the number of ‘must do’ services have been reduced to 60, with the remaining 51 classi ed as ‘could do if resources permit’, ‘only do if tied funded’, or ‘stop/ pause’.
NOTE: Comments as they appear online, without corrections.
• Carli Adamo: Seems like this warning was downgraded n now gone
• Georgina Cusack: Let’s hope that the storm continues its trajectory just north of Wangaratta with tent city set up at the show grounds with all those cyclists. The large hail stones that hit Wilby 40 minutes ago would shred tents so easily.
• Ricky Iles: That was posted hours ago and still no thunderstorms in North Wangaratta.
• Kade Watson: Lisa McCormack Seriah McCormack come inside
• Gloria Tyack: i got court in it coming home from Albury so bad could not see the road hail stones stopped till it past Facebook users this week also commented on a 27-year-old man being banned from driving following a high drink drive reading.
• Alexis Baillie: Idiot
Our follower total is Like the Wangaratta Chronicle Facebook page to have your say.
15,050
12-18
ago and funded evenly by state, federal and local government.
all
designed to cover the one per
of flood waters. The final stage of the works will be the
with work due to start next year.
The services being cut include feral pest control, rubbish collection and educational initiatives such as the young ranger’s program.
The news comes as Labor cut $95 million to Parks Victoria’s 2023-24 nances, in addition to the planned redundancy of 100 sta members in the new year.
Despite these cuts, Labor is going ahead with its decision to add a further 44,000 hectares of land to Park Victoria’s responsibilities through the Wombat and Lerderderg state forests.
The loss of these crucial services is a consequence of the Allan Labor Government’s continual inability to control it’s out of control debt.
Much like the cuts to funding and services at our hospitals and on our roads, the axing of critical services at Parks Victoria is directly related to Labor’s inability to manage money.
These are services that are necessary to protect the sustainability of our public land.
The removal of dumped rubbish, including asbestos, was listed as ‘could do if resources permit’, while managing invasive feral animals – foxes, rabbits, deer, horses and bees and invasive plants – were listed as ‘only do if tied funded’.
This is what happens when your debt is heading towards $186 billion and $26 million a day in interest alone.
The decision to add more land to the list
of Parks Victoria responsibilities is hard to reconcile in the wake of the cuts.
It is clear that Parks Victoria has struggled to manage the millions of hectares they already have.
Parks Victoria’s local assets like the Tallarook State Forest and Reef Hills in Benalla are already struggling to handle the amount of rubbish being dumped and the out-ofcontrol blackberry growth.
Now they are being asked to cover more ground with less sta , less funding, and less services that make forest management easier.
It’s easy to understand why morale among sta is so low.
Annabelle Cleeland, Nationals’ MP for Euroa
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, content or legibility. Email edit.chronicle@nemedia.com.au Post Letters to the Editor, 37 Rowan St, Wangaratta 3677
EXTRA PROTECTION: works which were announced
months
The upgrades of
major levees in Wangaratta is
cent annual exceedance probability (AEP)
Merriwa Park Levee
PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Crossbenchers are taking lead on Whistleblower Protection Authority
WANGARATTA-based Indi
MP Helen Haines and fellow federal Independent MPs Andrew Wilkie, Senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie are joining together to introduce the Whistleblower Protection Authority Bill in the parliament.
They were joined by Professor AJ Brown from Griffith University, Australia’s eminent authority on whistleblower protections, last week, when they announced the bill will be introduced by Dr Haines and Mr Wilkie in the House of Representatives and Senators Pocock and Lambie in the senate during the first two sitting weeks of 2025.
Dr Haines said it was beyond time the government delivered on its promise and
replaced the existing patchwork approach with comprehensive whistleblower protections.
“Every day we wait is another day that we deny protection to people who put themselves at enormous risk to expose the truth,” she said.
Mr Wilkie said it is “unconscionable” that whistleblowers are still being prosecuted in Australia “for doing the right thing and speaking up against wrongdoing”.
“This is why we are giving notice to introduce a bill to the House of Representatives that will establish a Whistleblower Protection Authority.
“Whistleblowers make Australia a better place, but
the government is failing to provide adequate support and protections, and is instead hell-bent on punishing anyone who speaks up and deterring those who might.
“A Whistleblower Protection Authority is long overdue and is something the Labor Party promised before the 2019 Federal Election.
“The government must end the war against whistleblowers by supporting my bill.
“Only then can we ensure whistleblowers are protected, not punished, prosecuted or imprisoned.”
Senator Pocock said whistleblowers shine a light on corruption, protect public funds, and hold powerful
entities accountable.
“It’s time we stopped punishing courage and started protecting it,” he said.
“Thirty years ago, the senate recommended a dedicated authority to safeguard whistleblowers.
“Decades later, we’re still waiting.
“The Whistleblower Protection Authority created by this bill would finally provide protection for those who have the courage to speak out.”
Senator Lambie described whistleblowers as heroes who need to be protected and not punished.
“Setting up a body to protect whistleblowers has been a key recommendation for decades – it’s time we got on with it,” she said.
New recruits bolster region’s firefighting resources
FOREST Fire Management
Victoria’s (FFMVic) newest recruits are learning the ropes at a week-long training camp at Yackandandah in readiness for the summer bushfire season.
The training ensures “project” firefighters are ready to fight fires and complete work to help reduce bushfire risk.
This summer FFMVic has employed 540 project firefighters to work alongside our experienced permanent crews to keep Victorians and the environment safe.
Within Hume region 114 project firefighters will be based at depots at Alexandra, Marysville, Toolangi, Broadford, Kinglake, Benalla, Mansfield, Nathalia, Shepparton, Beechworth, Bright, Ovens, Corryong, Mitta Valley and Tallangatta.
Recruits undergo two weeks of classroom and fieldbased learning on topics including fire behaviour, safety and survival techniques, fire suppression, working with aircraft, and planned burning.
The training camp provides opportunities for hands-on learning, from operating water pumps and chainsaws, to driving special-
ised fire fighting vehicles.
In addition to emergency response, project firefighters also undertake mulching, mowing, slashing and spraying; maintaining fuel breaks and the public land road network, trail and recreation site maintenance and planned burning.
FFMVic Hume deputy chief fire officer, Aaron Kennedy, said recruits have diverse backgrounds which reflect the communities they serve.
“They play a critical role working alongside our experienced firefighters to respond to bushfires in some of the state’s most remote and challenging environments, helping keep our communities safe,” he said.
“With an increased risk of bushfires forecast for the region, our project firefighters are an important and valued addition to our firefighting resources this summer.”
It’s not too early to register your interest in working as a project firefighter next bushfire season!
Register your interest for a role in 2025/26 now, at: https:// www.ffm.vic.gov.au/who-weare/firefighting-and-employment
Grant helps Ovens Landcare tackle common myna birds
By CHLOE JAENICKE
OVENS Landcare has received $3193 from the ANZ Seeds of Renewal grant program to help address common myna birds in the North East.
Landcare facilitator, Penny Raleigh, said the funds will go towards helping community members combat myna numbers in their gardens.
“Half of the money will be used to buy more traps, and the other half will be used to actually pay someone to distribute them and
teach people when they drop them off how to use them and how to set them up,” she said.
Ms Raleigh said the myna traps are the best way to reduce the bird numbers, aside from planting a garden of shrubby native plants.
“You can improve your garden to deter them but when you’ve got a large open lawn space, that they just love, then trapping them is a good way to at least knock the numbers down a little bit,” she said.
Ms Raleigh said Ovens
Landcare is grateful to receive the grant to address an increasing community demand for help to reduce the introduced bird species, which usurp nests and hollows and kill the young and destroy the eggs of native bird species.
“We’ve had an absolute explosion of inquiries to borrow the traps recently so having more around is going to make life so much easier,” she said.
“Any money we can get to do requested jobs done is great.”
To contact Ovens Land-
care for advice or to borrow a myna trap, visit https:// ovenslandcarenetwork.org. au/.
Ms Raleigh also suggests people visit Gardens for Wildlife (https://gardensforwildlifevictoria.com/) to view more resources on improving your backyard and reducing the number of introduced species in native spaces.
The ANZ Seeds of Renewal grant program has been providing funds towards regional and rural groups that support environmental sustainability for 22 years.
Lambie, Madeleine Howle from Human Rights Law Centre announcing their intention to introduce a whistleblower protection bill to parliament in 2025.
PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Michael Hastie.
Photographer shares cowboy masterwork
Asigni cant photographic assignment which began over 40 years ago as an endeavour to track the beef industry supply chain in northern Australia, has found a new lease of life in the art world today.
Photographer Paul J Ryan, who hails from Sydney but now lives in Wangaratta, describes the collection of over 20,000 photographs as his masterwork project; the images recorded on Kodachrome lm between 1982 and 2002, when he traversed northern Australia following cattle “from paddock to planet”.
But it became a social documentary, as he met and engaged with farmers, cattlemen and all those on the periphery who made the industry tick, exploring the extraordinary lives they led.
Ryan said places like the annual show and the saleyards “were great places of community and networking for pastoralists and cattle families” so he included pubs, hats, saddles and whips along with neon signs and architecture.
“It began by asking the question, was it needed?” he said.
“So I did an enormous amount of community consultation with producer organisations, showman’s guilds, primary industry, historians and politicians, and I asked all these diverse people with connections to northern Australia, if this portrait of the national identity was needed - and they all agreed it was a worthy undertaking.”
The self-described “gay Sydney surfer from the waterfront” then packed up and moved to Rockhampton and spent nine months working in one of the largest abattoirs in the country to start funding his project, before heading out to rodeos and visiting properties he’d been invited to.
Far from being sceptical or resistant, Ryan said he found rural
BY ANITA McPHERSON amcpherson@ nemedia.com.au
people curious about the broader world and keen to be informed, describing their interaction as a cultural exchange.
He made it his mission to not only document the large pastoral properties which already attracted media attention, but to take “a more democratic and holistic approach” photographing everyday people, places and smaller family operations.
Ryan says the earthy and real Australia he documented so uniquely, was made possible by the use of that Kodachrome lm, which is no longer made.
He said lm is able to capture an inde nable element which is di cult to quantify.
“Digital tends to have more contrast and be overly dramatic,” he said.
“You see some people doing some rural digital photography that is just unreal - it’s hyper reality and idealised, taken to extraordinary lengths - it’s not what’s going on out there.”
Ryan’s photography career had begun in Sydney shooting quirky stories for Tracks sur ng magazine in the 70s, not far from where he grew up in Sans Souci, during a time when he had the freedom to shoot as he pleased, capturing characters of the counterculture.
He also photographed centrefolds for Cleo magazine, but at the age of 30, felt driven to leave the city and take on something bigger, going north and investing two decades in his masterwork.
But he says when he nally came to deliver it, he faced discrimination and barriers in the arts bureaucracy, and the images were kept under wraps.
It was only in 2010, while still living in Rockhampton and spurred on by the enthusiasm of a friend and collaborator who wanted to see the photographs, that they were nally uncovered.
In the decade that followed those thousands of images taken were revisited, assessed and culled, until a digitising process began on the 2000 that remained; accelerated during COVID when Ryan received a small grant from Creative Victoria to fund the process.
Then with the support of social enterprise Magnet Galleries Melbourne, 60 images were uploaded for a virtual exhibition called North & West, showing images from Ryan’s Cattle Life and Heartland series.
He also entered Sydney’s 2024 Head On Photo Festival at Bondi Beach, and from 600 international applicants, he was one of 40 chosen to participate in the featured program.
Ten images were selected and were exhibited on the Bondi Beach promenade during November.
Ryan says going to see the im-
Counterparts exhibition at Wang Art Gallery
AN exhibition by friends and textile artists Britt Salt and Hannah Gartside, who met at the Victoria College of Arts in 2023, is being held at Wangaratta Art Gallery.
While differing in their approach, both artists celebrate the medium of textiles and extend the practice through a play with space, movement, intimacy, curiosity and interaction with the body.
Counterparts: Expanded Textile Practices features new work by both artists alongside formative work held in the Wangaratta Art Gallery Collection, and the extension of previous bodies of work.
Large scale textile installations transform the gallery space, and trace the development of each artist’s practice, and they can be seen at the gallery until February 16.
Explore Material Implications at Wang Art Gallery
AN exhibition called Material Implications which features work by Ballarat based artists Carole Wilson and Tim Craker, who use textile methodologies and materials to create their work, is being held in Gallery 2 at Wangaratta Art Gallery. Using techniques such as sewing, knitting or the making of nets, the artists use found objects to create curtains, shrouds, geometric arrays, assemblages and installations in both two and three dimensions. Through recycling, rescue and reuse, each examine the embodied histories of these discarded and oft maligned objects, with the exhibition running until December 22.
See Dividing Range at MAMA in Albury
ages on display there was a turning point for him, and perhaps the de nition of coming full circle.
“It was bizarre - that location at North Bondi is where I used to lay down my towel and go for a surf and a swim, so it was really good,” he said.
“This was mission completed - to bring it back home and to such a site.”
Ryan moved to Wangaratta to join his partner in 2016 and he continues to work on other projects, including one which focuses on “heroes from nowhere” exploring high achievers who hail from small, country towns and pondering why there are so many.
“The legacy I’m looking towards now is to try and get my cowboy stu published and to get the best 200 images to reside in a suitable institution,” he said.
The 2024 Head On Photo Festival exhibition can be seen online at headon.org.au/festival.
Paul J Ryan’s virtual exhibition North & West can also be viewed at magnet.org.au/gallery/northwest/.
AN exhibition called Dividing Range which brings together a selection of photographs, prints and paintings from the Murray Art Museum Albury’s collection, loosely connected by their explorations of human relationships to light, ways of seeing and the environment, is on display at MAMA. Drawing its name from a featured work by North East Victorian based artist Kim Westcott, there are 17 artists featured in the exhibition, including a 1969 abstract painting by Robin Wallace-Crabbe, more recent largescale photographic works by James Farley and Justine Varga and urban inspired work by Robert Jacks and David Jolly.
See the collection on display in the Joss Family Gallery at MAMA until April 27, with entry free.
Benalla Camera Club anniversary exhibition
THE Benalla Camera Club is celebrating its 70th anniversary with an exhibition in the Benalla Art Gallery.
Titled VISIONS: Photographing Benalla and Beyond, the exhibition celebrates members’ dedication to their craft through contemporary displays of many stunning photographs, while also charting both the history of the Club and developments in photographic practice across the past seven decades.
The exhibition is free to enter and runs until December 8.
PUBLIC GALLERY: Ten images by Paul J Ryan were selected and were exhibited at the Paddington Reservoir Gardens in November, as part of the 2024 Head On Photo Festival in Bondi.
PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Rick Steward to perform at his 20th FRL festival
GET your tickets for the Folk, Rhythm & Life Festival starting this Friday with former Eldorado-bred local Rick Steward’s Eils and The Drip band to feature.
Rick played at his rst Folk, Rhythm & Life Festival when he was 14 years old and it will be his 20th year of performing at the event this weekend.
“They put me on the main stage at a music festival as a high school kid and it was an unbelievable opportunity,” he remembered.
“They showcase young musicians and anyone in the arts coming through, they’ve always been very supportive.
“I can’t thank them enough having me back time and time again and it’s an awesome festival.”
Eils and The Drip is fronted by Rick’s partner Eileen Hodgkins and they started the band during lockdown and they’ve toured all over Australia and performed at heaps of other festivals and
BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au
they toured with Jet earlier in the year.
“It’s a big six-piece folk, rock, country band and we’re still quite a young band in the grand scheme of things but we all come from a hell of a lot of experience from projects or bands,” Eileen said.
The FRL Festival has a deep nucleus of local, national and international bands with more than 60 on the bill, and Rick said he can’t recommend the festival highly enough.
Rick said the setting at Bilyana is his favourite festival scene out of all he has attended and played at as it’s so well curated by the Skermer family and the artists and bands are always great.
Rick plays that guitar and lap steel guitar and he said there’s a lot going on with a
pedal steel guitarist as well, drums, keys and harmonies.
He is looking forward to a return home to Eldorado where he grew up and although his parents have sold their property, he enjoys going back and camping at the festival.
“I just came up as a punter for the previous one nighters they did post lockdown and it’s so nice to get back to he North East and spend some quality time there,” Rick said.
The festival is on from December 6, 7 and 8 with day passes also available this year, including a courtesy bus from Wangaratta and Beechworth.
Tickets are available at bilyana.com
FESTIVAL BOUND: Eldoradobred Rick Steward and his partner and band lead Eileen Hodgkins are super excited to play at this weekend’s Folk, Rhythm and Life Festival.
Regulator seeks input on default electricity prices for 2025–26
THE Essential Services Commission is seeking input from industry, community groups, consumers and other interested parties on its approach to setting Victoria’s default electricity price for 2025–26.
The commission independently sets the Victorian Default O er each year.
The Victorian Default Offer is the default electricity price Victorian households and small business custom-
ers pay if they haven’t chosen a di erent market o er and is based on the e cient cost of the sale of electricity by a retailer.
Essential Services Commission chairperson Gerard Brody said the Victorian Default O er is an important consumer safeguard.
“The Victorian Default O er provides price protections for electricity customers who do not engage with the energy market and
acts as a benchmark price to compare market o ers against,” Mr Brody said.
“Each year we review the di erent costs that make up electricity bills, including wholesale electricity costs, the cost of getting energy to customers, and retailer operating margins.
“We want to hear from stakeholders about the approach we use to set our cost benchmarks and whether they can be improved.”
To make a submission, visit the Engage Victoria website before December 24.
In June 2024, the Victorian Default O er applied to around 334,000 (or 13 per cent of) households and 57,000 (or 20 per cent of) small businesses.
The Victorian Default Offer is also a maximum price for most customers in an embedded network, covering around 180,000 customers.
Commissioner Brody said that while the Victorian Default O er is a valuable consumer protection, Victorians should still shop around for the best electricity o er available to them.
“While the Victorian Default O er plays a key role as a benchmark price, the vast majority of electricity customers are on market contracts, which are o en less expensive than the Victorian Default O er,” he said.
“I’d urge all Victorian energy customers to make a habit of regularly visiting the free and independent Victorian Government energy price comparison site Victorian Energy Compare to nd the best energy deal based on their own unique circumstances.”
The 2025–26 Victorian Default O er dra decision will be published for consultation in March 2025, with a nal decision in May 2025.
Probus clubs farewell Cup Day and look forward to Christmas
WANGARATTA APPIN PARK COMBINED PROBUS
DUE to renovations at Wangaratta Club, president Lyn Evans opened this month’s meeting on the November 12 at the Men’s Shed.
Thank you to Denny, Terry and Charlie for preparing the venue and Elaine and helpers for arranging morning tea.
A big thank you was given to Terry Brew and Jan for a brilliant presentation/tour of the Turf Farm.
Thanks to John Cleal for driving the bus over many years - and yes, he always got members home safely with a smile, a few jokes and sometimes a detour along the way.
Thanks to everyone involved in making the Cup Day activity so successful, beautiful set up -thanks Jan and Terry for the use of your place, a delicious meal and good company.
‘Bookies’ Alan and Bob did great job. Well done all.
The recent pub lunch was held at the Vine Hotel where 22 members attended.
On Friday, November 22 members travelled to Smith’s Cherry Orchard where they viewed the picking and packing setup then continued onto Mokoan Café for lunch.
Next Combined Breakfast is at King River Café, 9am on Sunday, December 1.
Special Interest groups are still going strong and are planning their Christmas break-ups at different venues around the area, with our club’s Christmas lunch at the Vine Hotel, 12.30pm on Thursday, December 5.
May the Christmas spirit fill you all with joy and love, good cheer and happiness.
WANGARATTA WEST COMBINED PROBUS
PRESIDENT Pauline McAliece opened the meeting on November 11 at 10 am.
After the usual business was finished and a break for morning tea Peter Adams recited the Ode of
Monday, December 1, 2014
By STEVE BURKE
HE may have won the battle but his party lost the war.
So it was for Tim McCurdy on the weekend, who had mixed feelings after winning the Ovens Valley seat by a thumping majority, all the while preparing for life in opposition.
With 45.56 per cent of the vote counted Mr McCurdy had 55.94 per cent of the primary vote, or 66.91 per cent on a two party preferred basis.
Counting the rest of the votes will continue tomorrow, but the Ovens Valley seat is well beyond doubt.
Remembrance after our Minute’s Silence to commemorate the signing of the Armistice in 1918.
All activity groups within the club are going well.
The Garden Club enjoyed a big day out at the Cactus Garden in Strathmerton.
There is another outing planned before the hot weather comes.
The Movie group has another suitable film lined up with more details soon.
Sunday lunch is at Boorhaman Hotel on November 24.
Margaret reported on the successful Oaks Day barbecue.
A good time was had by all who attended.
Also 10pin Bowling is organised for November 29 at 10 am.
Lunch is booked at Intermezzo Café at 12 noon.
Helen Baker reported on the wonderful trip to Tasmania where 35 people enjoyed themselves for a sightseeing trip for a week.
A delicious lunch was served at the Vine Hotel on November 13 to celebrate our club’s 22nd birthday.
Our last activity for the year will be the Christmas lunch on December 11 at the Wangaratta Club.
A general meeting will be held on that day at 10.30am, so no meeting on the usual Monday.
The guest speaker was our own new member, Yve McLaughlin, writer and university lecturer.
Having written her first book and found it difficult to get published Yve
told how she and husband Chris set up their own company in Melbourne to publish and sell the many books she and Chris both wrote; relating to kayaking and travel information.
They are now retired to Wangaratta but still avid travellers.
They were able to answer the many questions from the members.
WANGARATTA CENTRAL COMBINED PROBUS
THE meeting on Friday, November 15 was opened by president Gerry Knobben who welcomed all members present plus guests Pat and Roger Anderson and Ray Steadman.
Mike Willoughby was inducted into the club by the president.
Today’s “Who am I’ was about Les Leitch in celebration of his 90th birthday.
He worked on a dairy farm, did National Training then after marrying went back into the dairy industry.
Friday, December 6 is Irish Christmas at Julianna’s 2.00pm.
Bring a plate of afternoon tea please and a $15 wrapped Kris Kringle gift.
Friday, December 13 at 12 noon Christmas lunch at Remel, Whorouly.
Friday, February 14 2025 ‘Bjorn Again’ ‘The Waterloo Reunion’ at WPAC, $75.00 - payment due at end of November.
Saturday, March 29 2025 ‘Music
Mixed result for McCurdy
of the Night’ WPAC, $65.00 7.30pmpayment due at the end of November.
Expressions of interest are called for a 10-day holiday to Norfolk Island in September/October 2025. $5500.
Also, for a cruise in Feb/March 2026, taking in Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, and Kangaroo Island.
More details later.
Our next Diners will be at Sam Miranda Winery at Oxley, on Friday, November 22 12.30pm.
The next Breakfast Club will be at The Gateway on Thursday, February 13 at 8.30am.
Guest speaker: Gary Wadley, with a brief history of Bush Poetry in Australia.
Gary then launched into poems including The Cross-Eyed Dog, The Whisperer and Razor and many more.
The entertaining session concluded with the song, Side By Side.
The next general meeting will be held at the Wangaratta Bowls and Sports Club at Park Lane, at 10.00am on Friday, January 17, 2025.
WANGARATTA LADIES PROBUS
WE had our last Breakfast @ The Gateway for the year on November 13 with 12 ladies attending.
Plenty of talk and laughter went on while waiting for our breakfast and some “oh I wish I had ordered that” when the meals arrived.
As usual the food was excellent
and a great start to the day.
Eight of our ladies joined Martin’s tour to Cowra and Young on Monday, November 11.
They visited the Junee Chocolate and Licorice factory where they picked up some chocolate and licorice to “sustain” them on their trip.
It was also the first of a number of Devonshire Teas they experienced while away.
At Cootamundra they went to the Rustic Maze and country garden with lunch in the café.
They went onto IIandra Homestead at Greenthorpe before arriving in Young.
In Young they visited the Japanese Cemetery, internment camp, and cultural centre then onto Allamabie Cherry Orchard and the Hawksbury Kelpie Stud for a demonstration of working kelpies.
On the way back to Albury they drove through Harden and saw the Silo Art.
Thank you to Mary Garlick for the report on their trip.
The Garden Group went to Open Garden Day @ Whorouly organised by the State School Committee. There were four lovely gardens and they were all well presented.
On the way home they stopped at the Milawa Cheese Factory for coffee.
On Melbourne Cup Day the Fun and Fitness group had a lovely breakfast with lots of laughter and fun.
Of course, no exercises on the day but they continue to meet each week.
Our Ten Pin Bowling Group and Friday Fun Day are joining together in December to have a game of bowls in the morning and then having lunch at the North Eastern Hotel to end the year.
Our guest speaker for this month was Christine Heard, a former policewomen who spoke of her time in the force and the obstacles women entering the force were faced with.
She also told us about some of her experiences working at various jobs and how things have changed and evolved.
Thank you to Christine for her very interesting talk.
Mr McCurdy’s closest challenger was Labor’s Gail Cholosznecki, who sits on 33
per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis, having received 21.33 per cent of the primary votes counted so far.
The Greens were the big bolters of the election, doubling the 4.69 per cent received at the 2010 Murray Valley election, with candidate Jamie McCaffrey sitting on just over 10 per cent of the vote.
Behind him is Australian Country Alliance candidate Dr Julian Fidge, on just under 10 per cent, and independent Ray Dyer on three per cent.
Mr McCurdy said he was absolutely delighted with the support received locally, but admitted he was in denial about the state-wide result.
“I didn’t believe the polls,” he said.
“I thought we could bridge the gap on election day but as (Nationals leader) Peter Ryan says, the voters always get it right.”
The big picture isn’t pretty for Mr McCurdy, who will spend the next four years in opposition.
Not only did the Coalition lose seats but Mr McCurdy’s Nationals suffered heavily at the election and could have just eight seats (down from 10) in the new State Parliament.
Steph Ryan looks set to claim Euroa but Shepparton, formerly held by retired
CUP DAY FAVOURITES: ‘Bookies’ for Wangaratta Appin Park Combined Probus Club on Melbourne Cup day were Alan Darwin and Bob McLean.
FASHIONISTAS: Wangaratta Appin Park Combined Probus Club members Amelia, Jo, Gail and Anne enjoyed the day.
WELL DONE DAD: Congratulating Tim McCurdy on winning the Ovens Valley seat were his daughters Danielle and Brooke. PHOTO: Luke Plummer
MP Jeanette Powell, has all but fallen to independent Suzanna Sheed.
The Nationals’ held seat of Morwell is also under threat.
“I’ve lost a few colleagues
down in Melbourne and from that respect it is quite difficult,” Mr McCurdy said.
NHW honours service, achievements of staff
NORTHEAST Health Wangaratta (NHW) recently held its annual sta awards function at the Wangaratta Turf Club, where the city’s largest employer recognised the academic, professional and research endeavours of sta , and thanked those who have dedicated many years of service.
NHW chief executive o cer, Libby Fi s, said she was honoured to acknowledge all the recipients.
“I’m incredibly proud of our workforce, and the sta awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their achievements, recognising their dedication to excellence in care, innovation, and leadership,” Ms Fi s said
“This year, we’re honoured to acknowledge the service milestones of almost 80 sta members, including careers spanning 10, 20, 30, and even 40 years.
“These milestones re ect an extraordinary commitment to our organisation and the community we serve, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions.”
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
• Board Directors’ Scholarship - Maddie Demamiel.
• Board Directors’ Scholarship - Ashlee Martin, Madison Pyke, Mel Palezza and Shannon Bird (Allied Health Therapy).
• Jack Hughes Memorial Palliative Care - Jackie Creek on behalf of Palliative Care Volunteers.
• Jack Hughes Memorial Oncology Scholarship – Amanda Kavanagh & Oncology Department.
• Jo Bevan Memorial Oncology Scholarship – Natasha Martin.
• Community Palliative Care Scholarship – Sabrina Mahon.
• Anne Bell Memorial Scholarship – Julie Hancock.
• Ricky Hiskins Memorial Scholarship – Meaghan Ashman.
• Sarah Redman Memorial Midwifery Scholarship – Devon Loiterton.
• Anna Margaret Suter Memorial Scholarship - Christopher Parsons.
• Anna Margaret Suter Memorial Scholarship – purchase of Emergency trolley (Clinical Skills Lab).
• Jessica McLennan Memorial Prize in Rural Critical/ Emergency Care – Ella Lowe and Steve North.
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
RECOGNITION OF SERVICE
10 YEARS: Alexander Robb, Carolyn Dale, Charlee Campbell-Ari n, Claire Pederick, Daniel Murphy, Deborah Martin, Jacqueline Oddie, Jacqueline Creek, Jean Thompson, Jennifer Dunai, Jennifer White, Katerina Tiso, Kathryn Tobias, Kerrie Cooke, Kris Cirulis, Laura Fisher, Lauren Nagle, Matthew Bolte, Michelle Kneebone, Nicholas Coles, Rachelle Essex, Sara Gartside, Sarah Newton, Shane Moore, Shanlee North, Tina Atteridge, Ursula Read.
• Quality Improvement and Consumer Experience (Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety) - Stacey Ressom.
• Quality Improvement and Consumer Experience (Nonclinical Service Delivery) - Jo Moncrie , Sheila Allan and Michael Gigliotti (CSSD).
• Excellence in Support Services - Nikki Delaney.
• Excellence in Customer Service and Kindness - Shelley Ryan.
• Excellence in Corporate Services – Sarah Gumley.
• Excellence in Research - Nicole Humphreys.
• Excellence in Allied Health (Science) - Celeste Goudie.
• Excellence in Allied Health (Therapy) - Kate Hillier and Anna Hession.
• Excellence in Aged Care (in memory of Charles Neal)Robert Duclayan.
• Excellence in Community Services - Dr Emily Pegan and Louise Lowe.
• Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery (WB Richardson)Maree Nankervis.
• Excellence in Medical Services - Anaesthetics Department.
• Leader of the Future Award - Andrea Tobias.
• Award for Excellence in Leadership - Daniel McLeod.
AWARDED: Recognised for 40 years of
Rumble and Roger Gregory.
15 YEARS: Anita Bishop, Anna Pasquali, Brenda Smith, Danielle Dalrymple, Elizabeth Paton, Karen Hough, Kathryn Currie, Katrina Davis, Leanne Allan, Lia Williamson, Margaret Readhead, Melanie Hortin, Nicole Sloan, Ruth Sinclair, Sarah De Fazio, Virginia Contreras.
20 YEARS: Anne Cameron, Caterina McMillan, Elizabeth Rolfe, Joanne Bowmaker, Katie McCombe, Merrilyn Giacopelli, Michelle McGrillen, Natalie Speziale, Olivia Stephens, Salma Deverell, Susan Harris, Susan Christie.
25 YEARS: Allison McCormick, Dianne Egan, Fiona Worboys, John Moran, Julie Day, Leesa Milne, Lesley Watkins, Lisa Twamley, Maree Nankervis, Rhonda Bennett, Richard Barkas.
Macie Isobelle Savage
MACIE Isobelle Savage was born at Northeast Health Wangaratta on Tuesday, November 26 at 2:50pm and weighed 3.05kg (6lb 11oz). She is the daughter of Thora Savage and John Savage
30 YEARS: Amanda Lee Flynn and Peter Hebbard.
35 YEARS: Debra Reidy, Margaret O’Connor, Brendan Harrington, Andrea Howell, Denise Larkings, Michelle Wason, Helen O’Donoghue, Alison Kazenwadel.
40 YEARS: Roger Gregory, Mitzi Jones and Susan Rumble.
attendance at the midwifery ward on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9.30am to take photos of newborns with their parents, grandparents and/or siblings.
Consent forms are available from Northeast Health Wangaratta and from Wangaratta Chronicle staff on the day.
If you would like a photo but are not at the ward at the time of visiting, you can come into the Wangaratta Chronicle office at 37 Rowan Street during office hours to organise it.
Photographs are available to purchase from the Wangaratta Chronicle office.
THREE DECADES: Peter Hebbard and Amanda Flynn were recognised for 30 years of service.
service were Susan
Junior Reporter Club
ACROSS
4 Name a well-known cagebird (6)
7 What might a musical Scotsman be (8)
8 To be consuming food, is to be doing what (6)
9 To be placed beneath, is to do what (8)
11 Which dog has drooping ears (7)
13 What might a hobo carry on his back (7)
15 What is a group of affiliated TV stations (7)
17 To be intertwined, is to be what (7)
20 Which term suggests starlike (8)
23 To be uninteresting, is to be what (6)
24 To have surpassed, is to have done what (8)
25 To be of superior value, is to be what (6)
DOWN
1 Name another term for daybreak (4)
2 To come into sight, is to do what (6)
3 Which mineral is valued as a gem (4)
4 To move stealthily, is to do what (5)
6 What is a fireplace (5)
9 Which term describes optimistic or cheerful (6)
10 What are small tracts of land completely surrounded by water (7)
12 To be joined, is to be what (6)
14 What do we call a conceited, boastful person (6)
Letters have a number value
5 Which term describes swimming or floating (6)
16 In which place do rabbits breed (6)
Some values are in the right hand cells. Create remaining values using clues in
E-QUATIONS
Letters A to Z have a number value. Some are shown in the right-hand cells. Create remaining values using clues in centre cells.
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD QUICK
18 To be by oneself, is to be what (5)
19 To be keen or ardent in desire, is to be what (5)
21 What is skill in dealing with delicate situations (4)
22 In the ancient Roman calendar, what is the 15th day of March (4)
Find the following words in the grid. They may be read in any direction, even diagonally. Some letters are used more than once.
WHICH WORDS
1 VITELLUS
(a) Stained glass (b) A plantation of vines (c) The yolk of an egg
2 YAKUZA
(a) A Japanese gangster
(b) In Hindu mythology, the first mortal (c) A long Turkish dagger
BIYWORD
Build it yourself using the clues and each of the twenty-four letters once only to form ten words: five across and five down. A key word (bold clue) builds on the letter set in the grid.
CLUES:
Common viral disease (coll) (3)
Cured pig thigh (3)
Heavy fighting clubs (5)
Hippopotamus (abb) (5)
Last (5)
Latest Arrival Date (3) Office of Emergency Services (3)
Raised (coll) (5)
S American camelids (7) Small appetisers (7)
Solve the crossword. Each answer has four letters.
Hazelnut producer sees potential boost from $2m industry program
CARBOOR hazelnut producer Ben Barrow sees plenty of potential positives from a $2 million, ve-year research program recently announced for Australia’s burgeoning industry.
The Australian Hazelnut Program of Research (AUSHAZ) is being funded by AgriFutures Australia to optimise Australia’s hazelnut production by developing quality standards and industry frameworks and drive growth through innovation and communication.
“The program will be bene cial for producers as it presents detailed and positive outcomes on disease management and disease identi cation,” he said.
“We have over 10,000 trees at our property and management is vital to the health of the trees and the introduction of the new program will be an advantage for hazelnut farmers.
“Our business is always open to learning from the best, as researchers are always staying ahead of the game and it’s a positive feeling to stay in touch.
“We aim to get consistent
BY KURT HICKLING khickling@ nemedia.com.au
quality with the nuts and uphold a high standard for the consumer.
“Our farm is in a great location where no irrigation is required as the trees sustain enough annual rainfall.
“Recently we have imported ve varieties of hazelnuts (Yamhill, Jefferson, Dorris, McDonald and Pheta) which mature in three to four years, not seven to 10 years.
“The Australian base of research practice is 20 years behind compared to practices overseas and the introduction of this program will fast track the industry locally.”
Expected research outputs include a smartphone app to detect ower-to-nut conversion rates, an online system for hazelnut data collection, storage and analysis, drying guidelines for growers and processors to develop and test new systems for hazelnut tree irrigation, nutrition and protecting sustainability
from incursions of exotic pests and diseases.
The research team is led by Charles Sturt University distinguished professor Geo Gurr, recognised as
one of the country’s leading researchers in his eld.
Professor Gurr said the research will unlock the potential of the Australian hazelnut industry by overcoming
several barriers for growth.
“By providing research to assist the Australian hazelnut industry with improving yields, quality and profitability, the current grower base will be incentivised to expand,” he said.
“In addition, investors will realise the potential for Australian-grown hazelnuts to displace inferior, imported product and will be attracted to join the industry either as small-scale growers or large commercial enterprises.”
As local supply steadily increases, demand for Australian hazelnuts is also expected to grow as consumers realise the superiority of fresh hazelnuts, compared to imported hazelnuts.
Hazelnut Growers of Australia (HGA) executive o cer Trevor Ranford said Australian-grown hazelnuts were already highly valued by gourmet retailers, restaurants, confectioners, patisseries and gelato makers.
“Last year, Australia produced about 580 tonnes of in-shell hazelnuts with a farm-gate value of $6.4 million,” he said.
“The research being car-
ried out through the AUSHAZ program will support sustainable growth of those numbers for the long-term prosperity of the Australian hazelnut industry.”
AgriFutures Australia Emerging Industries senior manager, Dr Olivia Reynolds, said the research program will address the most pressing issues facing current growers.
She said it was guided by the Australian Hazelnut 2030 Strategic Blueprint in consultation with growers, HGA, processors, agronomists and researchers.
“AgriFutures is focused on investing in research that makes a signi cant impact on industry growth and we’re con dent that the research team is well on the way to delivering that impact,” Dr Reynolds said. As well as being sold as in-shell, cracked or roasted products, hazelnuts have a wide range of uses, including in value-add products like oil, our and meal as well as in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
They are high in bre, folate and vitamin E and contain mostly monounsaturated fats.
Rains good news for stock, but a delay to crop harvest
By KURT HICKLING
WIDESPREAD rainfall of between three to six inches across many parts of the North East last week has been a blessing for stock producers but a hindrance to winter crop growers.
Doug James, who has lived on his ‘Viewbank’ sheep property at Boweya for the past 54 years, said the rain had been a breath of fresh air and instilled some con dence in the sheep industry, a er a real “hit and miss” spring.
“Good news for us is that this recent rainfall will keep the grass growing leading into Christmas.
“Further to that, the recent rain will help boost lucerne crops which will bene t our farm and save cost of feeding.
“We have assessed our outlook on the farm and we see that in the next three months, things will remain stable which has a positive outlook on things.
“If conditions stay wet, this will make wheat crops sprout which would turn these crops into local feed other than cereal which again we can purchase at a cheaper price bringing further con dence for sheep producers.
“The recent rain will also give local hay producers a second cut by Christmas which will boost availability locally which again puts an-
other positive spin on things.
“With the recent rain and all things combined, has not only taken away pressures of farming, but has really boosted con dence in farmers by putting a stop to panic selling but will bring quality stock to the market as the sheep store sales are holding very strong with proven rm pricings locally.
“It is amazing how the weather really does govern those who work on the land, and with planning and perseverance, presents a light at the end of the tunnel and farmers reap the rewards for their efforts.”
Andrew Russell, managing director and a shareholder of Lilliput AG - a sister company of the family–owned farming and seed cleaning business Baker Seeds at Rutherglen,
said the harvesting is well on the way but not yet complete because of the recent rain event.
“In general, harvest locally and North East Victoria is around 40 to 50 per cent complete with many growers completing their canola harvest,” he said.
“Wheat harvesting is well on the way, however, not yet complete because of the recent rain which is not good for broadleaf because of the susceptibility to sprouting which is a big concern to all growers.
“We will not really know the extent of damage to crops for another week or so depending on how much more rain we get.
“Yields have been generally better than expected for the amount of rainfall received during the year.”
Barrow welcomes the recent announcement.
CHANGE IN CONDITIONS: Boweya sheep producer Doug James believes the recent rain event will ease pressure on the property.
PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
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A school of The Anglican Schools Commission (Inc.)
The College seeks applications from suitable applicants for the following positions commencing in January 2025:
Teacher Assistant - Middle School Full-time/Ongoing
Sports Assistant - Whole School
Full-Time/Ongoing
Please refer to our website, www.cathedralcollege.vic.edu.au for position descriptions and application closing dates.
Cathedral College Wangaratta is a Child Safe School and an Equal Opportunity Employer
Production Technician
We are seeking mechanically minded individuals to perform a variety of operational functions for the production of Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF). This is a fulltime position, operating under the site EA on a 12-hour rotating 24/6 roster;
• 4-week Rotating Shift Roster Cycle;
• 2 weekends off in every 4;
• Shift Allowance;
• EA Level 4 base $29.39, with 35.75% loading, $39.90 per hour. For further information, please contact the HR Officer—Alexandra on; (03) 5723 0454 or apply directly via Seek.
2019 Toyota Corolla Accent auto, RWC, Vic plates, Reg 1MC-5HL, 22,500 km, services. Mum can no longer drive, Wangaratta. $21,500. Ph Geoff after 5pm 0408 089 276.
2010 Ford Falcon XT sedan, 130,000km, very good condition and well looked after vehicle, reg (1FH9AX), rwc, $7500. Phone Dave 0431 685 549.
OLD cars wanted, cars removed. Ph 0435 083 115.
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CATHEDRAL COLLEGE WANGARATTA
WANGARATTA Chronicle photographer Kurt Hickling went along to Merriwa Park recently to capture some of the action and excitement of the Saturday morning junior tennis. Photographs can be purchased at the Wangaratta
HAMISH KERR
Chronicle office.
ELLA MCGAURAN
LILY YENSCH
SAM LEWIS
HAMISH LLOYD
REEGAN MONK
HENRY LLOYD
RAFF MONK
RILEY FILIPENKO
LEXI YENSCH
Dale unearths next stable star
WANGARATTA-based horse
trainer Andrew Dale may have unearthed his next stable star at Friday’s Wodonga Gold Cup meeting.
Four-year-old mare Brenlyn’s Daisy continues to go from strength to strength and won the highest quality race of her career, saluting in race eight’s benchmark 64 (1100m) by nearly two lengths.
The win takes the daughter of Boulder City to four wins from 11 starts, along with three placings as she continues to go from strength to strength.
Dale was stoked with the win but said there’s still plenty to improve.
“She’s a progressive young horse and everything she’s done so far would suggest there’s more in store,” he said.
BY WILLSON MACK wmack@ nemedia.com.au
“She’s still getting her pre-race behaviours in order and if she can do that it’ll allow her to not expend as much energy.
“She was pretty good pre-race on Friday and I think we saw that on course with her turn of foot late.
“It’s something we’re working on though because she’s quite an anxious horse.”
The rising star got the perfect ride from Cory Parish, settling just off the pace before putting her rivals to the sword down the short Wodonga straight and was
eased down on the line.
“Cory (Parish) got in the box seat early and only had one back to come o on the turn so it was a nice professional ride,” Dale said.
“We’ve got a good relationship with Cory and he has a great relationship with Brenlyn’s Daisy which she needs because of her little quirks.
“If a new jockey that didn’t know her rode her things could potentially go pear shaped pretty quickly.”
Brenlyn’s Daisy is the half sister to stable mate Brenlyn’s Trooper, while Dale also has Brenlyn’s Trooper’s full two-year-old brother in his stable as well.
“She comes from the same family as Brenlyn’s Trooper who we’ve
had some success with and we’ve also got the full brother to (Brenlyn’s) Trooper who hasn’t raced yet,” he said.
“It’s a family that seems to be very competitive which is great because their breeder is a great supporter of our stable.”
With Brenlyn’s Daisy’s rating climbing to 68, one more country win could force Dale to nd a race in Melbourne for his rising star.
“She pulled up well but we’ll give her a couple of easy weeks and try and nd a race for her before Christmas,” he said.
“If she continues to improve though we may look at a Friday night race at Moonee Valley if we can get those pre-race behaviours in check.”
Wilson receives Heritage Badge
AT their November member meeting, a Croquet Victoria Heritage Badge was awarded to Wangaratta Croquet Club’s Terry Wilson after a secret ballot was conducted over several weeks.
The badges were made available through Croquet Victoria and are awarded to a club member who in the opinion of members has made a significant contribution to croquet at a club, regional or state level.
Terry began playing croquet at Wangaratta in 2013 after retiring from work.
He quickly became very involved with the club and became an accredited referee in 2015 and a golf croquet and ricochet coach in 2018, and he was appointed club captain and club handicapper in the same year.
On a regular basis, he travels to Croquet Victoria’s hub in Cairnlea, in the western suburbs of Melbourne to referee Croquet Victoria and Croquet Australia events,
He still holds the captain position, but has passed the handicapper position on to another member.
In the past he has been appointed as club delegate to the regional association.
During COVID, Terry was state coordinator of ricochet croquet for two years and is currently in his third year as club secretary.
During his time as a member of Wangaratta Croquet Club, Terry has mentored and encouraged many new and existing members to improve their game by entering social days, pennant and tournament competitions.
Terry spends many hours each week mowing the court surrounds, line marking and carrying out general maintenance activities.
RISING STAR: Brenlyn’s Daisy won the fourth race of her fledgling career on Friday.
PHOTO: Trackpix Racing Photography
WHAT AN HONOUR: Terry Wilson (right) received his Croquet Victoria Heritage Badge from independent vote scrutineer Christine Ireland, in recognition of his tireless service to the club and the sport.
Daniel Saville named operations manager for Ovens & King FNL
By NATHAN DE VRIES
DANIEL Saville will oversee the Ovens and King Football Netball League for the 2025 season as league operations manager.
Saville takes over the position from Shankar Menon, who took on the role ahead of the 2024 season.
Coming with a background in sports administration and teaching, Saville has been involved in the O&K for almost a decade as part of United Bright FNC.
“I’ve been involved with the league for nine years as a player and club umpire as well,” he said.
“I’ve got a background in sports admin at a school level, it’s something I’m really interested in and passionate about, so I thought I’d give it a go while the position was available.
“From player to umpire to administrator is not the most logical pathway and might not be that common, but my playing days are well done.
“I’m really looking forward to the challenge and the role, continuing to
build relationships and meet new people.
“I already know some of how the landscape works with the football and netball sides of the league, and I’m looking forward to continuing the good work that’s been done. before me, and hopefully adding to that, and seeing how else we can improve the league.”
Saville said the goal was to have a competitive competition across all grades of football and netball.
“Everybody wants the best for their club, which is great, and that’s only going to make the league stronger, we hope,” he said.
“The gap between top and bottom is quite wide at the moment in football and netball grades, so with a couple of initiatives brought in by AFLNEB and AFL Victoria with player points, it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.
“For my role, first year in, I’m not looking to overhaul the league and do things my way and make it about myself.
“I think it’s working with the clubs who have done so much work in the past and the people who have
come before me in my role, along with the board who have been really helpful so far.
“Getting more of a social media presence is something I’m looking to do, more of a presence in the community and online, which should hopefully get more eyeballs on screen and people through the gates.”
The league announced the 2025 season will commence on Saturday, March 29 with round one, with the fixture to be finalised in coming weeks.
“We’ve got a meeting coming up where we’ll be looking at a draft version of the fixture,” Saville confirmed.
“We want to try and give clubs as much notice as possible with regards to booking plans in advance, social calendars and things like that.
“The fixture should have a bit of a different look to it this year.
“Making a fixture with 18 games in 20 weeks with 11 teams is a difficult task - trying to find a fixture which benefits everybody is the key, and we’ll aim to do that as best as possible.”
Wangaratta City Raceway winds down for Christmas
By NATHAN DE VRIES
THEIR final race meet for 2024 is in the rear-view mirror, but members and volunteers at Wangaratta City Raceway will be working hard through the holiday break to get everything ready for 2025.
The track has seen three days of massive race meets already in the 2024-25 season, but there’s plenty more to come.
A total of six racing days remain on the club’s calendar, with a whopping eight titles up for grabs, all set to be contested in the new year.
Club president Kenneth Mankey said the club was in an incredible position at the halfway point of their racing calendar.
“It’s been a busy, busy year,” he said.
“We’re three race meetings into our season, it’s probably the biggest season we’ve had so far numberswise for car entries and spectators that are coming through the gate.
“Now we’ve finished that race meeting last weekend, it’s all hands on deck to do a fair bit of upgrades we’ve been planning to do.
“We did heaps over the off-season, we have two months off to do these other upgrades.”
The track has seen a flood of attendees all through the
NEXT YEAR:
start of the season, which Mankey couldn’t be more excited about.
“It’s unreal, even though it’s early in the season, to get the numbers we’ve been getting through the gate is unreal,” he said.
“We’re getting huge numbers, where other tracks are
actually cancelling because they can’t get enough cars, but we’re almost getting too many.
“I put it down to the vibe around the venue – the atmosphere around the club; the racing and track condition is really good.
“Our calendar is struc-
tured very well, the classes we run on race day don’t clash with any other track.
“When we have that class on, all the drivers want to come to Wangaratta because they’re not racing at other tracks.
“Normally we’ve got plenty of food in our canteen but
we’ve sold out every round this year, it’s gone to the next level.
“You look on the bank and you see the bank full, and you think ‘yeah this is working, what we’re trying to achieve is working’.”
With the next race meeting set for the Australia Day
long weekend – featuring the Street Stock and Junior Victorian Titles over two massive days of racing - and the club has two months to finish upgrades such as new traffic lights and repairing the concrete walls.
Mankey said the twomonth break was also beneficial for club members to recharge and enjoy the holidays with family.
“I’m glad we’ve structured the calendar this year to have that two-month period off so everyone can spend it with their families over Christmas, because every year before we’ve run over Christmas and it’s been flat out around the track,” he said.
“This year, everyone can go do their thing with their families, enjoy their Christmas and relax, then we get back into in at the end of January.
“I just want to thank everyone who goes there: all the spectators, the fans, the volunteers, the drivers, the committee members, sponsors, everyone who comes through our gates to be part of the venue.”
Racing returns to Wangaratta on Saturday, January 25 and Sunday, January 26 with the SSA Street Stocks Vic Title, SSA Juniors Vic Title, and SSA Production Sedans.
AT THE HELM: Daniel Saville is looking forward to a competitive and fun season as league operations manager for the Ovens and King FNL.
PHOTO: Nathan de Vries
UNTIL
Racing at Wangaratta City Raceway will be back in 2025 on Australia Day weekend.
PHOTO: V&J Parker
Dale unearths next stable star
Cricket wash out
43.2mm of rain overnight forces all senior and junior cricket xtures to be abandoned
ROUND six of WDCA action will revert to one-day games after Saturday’s fixture was washed out.
Wangaratta received 43.2mm of rain with WDCA officials calling games off early on Saturday morning, while junior affairs were cancelled on Friday night.
BY WILLSON MACK wmack@ nemedia.com.au
This Saturday’s A grade games will now be played as 40 overs each way, with under 16s and under 14s to follow suit.
“We’ve had around 100mm since Monday but we had a reprieve on Thursday and Friday so all of the curators had to get wickets and grounds prepared just in case seniors went ahead,” Kelly said.
WDCA president Justin Kelly said it was a tough few days logistically.
“We were hoping the weather might change for Saturday but that wasn’t the case at all and it had
already been raining for a few hours before we cancelled senior games on Saturday morning.
“It was a frustrating week, especially for the curators who had to roll wickets.
“Seven days out it’s saying it could be wet next weekend as well but hopefully that’ll change.
“All senior and junior games will just revert to one day games.”
Along with WDCA club games, junior representative cricket also took a hit with the Shepparton Challenge abandoned for the second consecutive week.
The representative games were set to be played on Sunday in Shep-
parton with the deluge leaving grounds too wet.
“The Shepparton Challenge was meant to be on today (Sunday) but the outfields are too wet,” Kelly said.
“There’s talk that it might get rescheduled to February when school goes back but that’s not set in stone.”
TOO WET: City Colts A grade skipper Mitch Giggins and the rest of the WDCA players didn’t make it to the crease on Saturday.
PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
WASHED OUT: City Colts stalwart and curator Kent Braden experienced Saturday’s wet weather first hand. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
