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www.wangarattachronicle.com.au
Monday, January 9, 2023
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Peter’s 2022km walk against racism
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FREE Farmer paper inside today
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Phone (03) 5723 0100
BEEF WEEK
on this January, STOCK and Land Beef Week is back of studs with and there’s an impressive line-up part in the annual premium quality genetics taking on January event. Excited about their open day Sessions and 30, Bellaspur stud principal Brenton with the 2022 top partner Anna Bewley are pictured stud. price Bellaspur bull at their Balmattum-basedspecial. of our stud Turn to page 19 for the beginning
Hay & silage woes
Inaugural sale helps beef-up producers’ return
www.farmernews.com.au
JANUARY, 2023
Published since 1984
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Brumby challenge PAGE 8
Securing Prosecco
xxx duce Celebrating pro in the North East PAGE 15
A RENERGISED Yarck Hotel, has recently reopened under the capable custodianship of high calibre Melbourne publicans Geoff Lindsay and Paul Dimattina. Chef Geoff Lindsay and former Western Bulldogs football player Paul Dimattina, are business
BY EMMA OLIVER
eoliver@ nemedia.com.au
partners at the renowned Lamaro’s Hotel in South Melbourne and have brought their winning formula to the North East, reinvigorating this classic
country pub just off the Maroondah Highway. “We were mindful of not losing the intrinsic character and integrity of the original structure,” said chef Geoff Lindsay of the pub’s extensive renovations. “It was important to retain the relaxed vibe and community focus, whilst
also modernizing the space.” “The region around Yarck is an amazing food and wine producing area, and it is a location I was very much aware of working in the upper echelons of the hospitality industry,” said Geoff. “My menus have always
under-valued in comparison been produce-driven, and to sea fish. over my career I’ve come “And the beef cattle are across so many suppliers of an equivalent standard,” from the region, and it Geoff said. always intrigued me. So when the opportunity “It surprises me that the to acquire the area is not more well-known presented both Geoff Yarck Hotel, for its food and wine. and Paul leapt at the “The river fish for opportunity. instance that are produced ■ Continued pages 2-3 up here are world-class, yet
Wickets tumble in grand final replay Sport
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE MARK Walker (pictured) and his parter Ang Corker both share a passion for speed. The Wangaratta couple now have an enviable collection of vehicles including this 1923 Ford T-bucket hot rod. Full story page 5. PHOTO: Shane Douthie
Tourism thrives
TOURISTS have flocked back to the North East this summer, with bustling trade helping Wangaratta and district tourism operators recover from a flood impacted spring. Doing it harder than most over the spring was the Painters Island Caravan Park, which experienced multiple closures due to flood waters, losing hundreds of bookings. Despite initial concerns
Busyy holidayy period p brings g relief after spring p g floods BY BAILEY ZIMMERMANN bzimmermann@ nemedia.com.au
going into December, park manager Jaclyn Guerin was thrilled to have the park fully re-opened in time for summer, and said they have been almost at capacity since.
“The numbers have been really strong and it’s been great to have everyone back again,” she said. “It’s fantastic, it’s obviously been closed so much over the October, November period and we’ve found a lot of the tourists who would usually stay with us over the jazz festival and spring have been here which has been really good.”
Ms Guerin commended her hard working staff to have the park organised for guests over the busy period, which has provided the business with much needed relief. “We’ve had to take the bookings as they've come and we've been able to fill up a lot of our spots... we haven’t had much availability over Christmas and
January,” she said. “You wouldn’t know looking at the park now that at the start of December we had floodwater around, it has bounced back really well.” Rural City of Wangaratta acting manager of economic development, environment and compliance, Janine Rolles, said there had been strong interest
among visitors for outdoor activities, cycling, walking and waterfalls. “Our food and wine offerings continue to be a great drawcard,” she said. Ms Rolles said visitors have frequently accessed tourism information via digital channels, which has led to a 26 per cent decrease in patronage at the Visitor Information Centre in Murphy Street. ■ Continued page 3
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