JENNY Chivers (le ) and Brooke Winzer invite women and non-binary people of Wangaratta to hit the dancefloor once again to raise funds for the Beautiful You Program to support local women impacted by cancer. Glamour and comfort are the theme so it’s your choice of footwear.
■ Story page 10.
PAID parking will stay in Wangaratta’s CBD and all parking meters will go a er councillors unanimously voted to support the digital only payment option.
Under the changes all 72 dysfunctional parking meters will be removed and motorists will have to use the EasyPark App for all paid parking spaces, a new system costing $221,000 over eight years.
However, an alternative payment option via a permit system will be investigated by council o cers for people who do not have a smart phone or are unable to use the app.
The public’s use of the new parking payment system will be reported on quarterly to councillors, and an overall review will take place in June 2026.
Councillors were presented with four options to choose at Tuesday night’s council meeting with a council o cer’s report recommending the installation of 16 new meters (costing $282k), with the rest of the spaces via EasyPark.
Others options on the table were to install 52 new meters (costing $620k), or make parking free (costing $1.56m) over eight years.
Cr Tania Maxwell said she agonised over the topic but the one thing she kept coming back to was the common sense approach and “does this pass
BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au
the pub test”.
“We have a system that is in desperate need of upgrade and it’s going to be incredibly costly,” Cr Maxwell said.
She said $317,000 is not a mere amount in revenue, it really is a signi cant amount of money in our current economic times.
“We know the likelihood of receiving future grants is probably minimal, and I think as a council, it’s our responsibility to ensure what we are moving forward is in the best interest of our community,” she said.
“I have not had one business come forward to me to say why they do not like paid parking.
“The reality is that without paid parking, we will digress in our ability to ensure those parking spaces are maintained, that sta are employed, and all the other obligations that come along with us having the opportunity to park outside of a business, or somewhere else in the CBD for free.”
Cr Allison Winters said paid parking helps to fund the essential services that council deliver without shi ing the nancial burden onto all ratepayers.
■ Continued page 2
Meters will go in Wangaratta following a decision at council on Tuesday night.
■ From front page
“I can’t in all good conscience make a decision that puts the council in debt, impacts services, and reduces the projects available within out municipality,” Cr Winters said.
“There was a comment made that $1.56 million in lost income over eight years wasn’t a lot of money and I respectfully disagree.”
Cr Harry Bussell said the time has come for change and he didn’t want to waste money on machines.
“This parking system may well be cheaper for the people that don’t spend much time in the park,” he said.
“I’d rather spend the savings on helping people adapt to the new parking system.”
Cr Harvey Benton said there’s no such thing as free parking as people will be charged indirectly through rates anyway.
“If we don’t go down this path, it will have to be absorbed out of the rates,” he said.
The existing 72 parking machines will be removed as they are at their end-of-life due to the shutdown of 3G technology.
Business Wangaratta chamber of commerce secretary Adrian Fox had early addressed council on the matter and said the Wangaratta public, businesses and citizens just want free parking, with a time limit.
Mayor Irene Grant said if council doesn’t obtain the revenue from parking then they have to find the revenue in other ways.
She referenced the Fair Go Rate Cap which “puts the lid on money that we can raise”.
“The user pays for parking system has been in place since the 1960s, at least, so it would be reasonable that we continue it,” Cr Grant said.
“In most regional cities there is some form of paid parking that allows for council to obtain revenue to provide for works around parking.”
Key benefits of using the EasyPark app to pay for parking include:
• users pay only for time used;
• provides the convenience of extending the parking session using a phone without having to go to a physical machine;
• it will let users know when an area has time limited parking reducing the risk of getting fined;
• in Wangaratta it can be used throughout the CBD including the privately operated parking area of the Co-Store; and
• once downloaded the app can also be used to pay for parking in other locations.
By STEVE KELLY
BUILDING works for the development of the arts precinct, costing $17.5 million, will go ahead pending funding, with council approving a permit for the works.
The application went before council on Tuesday night following the release of detailed designs for the precinct last August.
The designs, costing $1.129m, show how the precinct will expand with the construction of two new art gallery spaces.
The extension will adopt a modern aesthetic similar to the Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre (WPACC) building.
Upgrades are required to ensure the gallery continues to meet the National Galleries and Museums standards, without which the gallery is unable to attract or exhibit blockbuster exhibitions or secure nationally signi cant artworks from major institutions like the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).
There were seven objections to the planning permit based on the
reduction of parking and one in favour of the development.
This included St Catherine’s Wangaratta which is located at a neighbouring property.
The church and aged care facility had previously told the Chronicle that the development would curb parking options for local residents attending masses, funerals and other events at St Patrick’s Church.
They said it would also hinder families dropping o , picking up
SPACE FOR ART: Two new art spaces will be constructed at the rear of the existing Wangaratta Art Gallery if council is successful with its application for federal and state governments funding.
or attending events with their children at St Patrick’s Primary School, and for many local residents who used the carpark during the week.
The application proposes to reduce the parking at the location by 46 spaces at the rear of the existing art gallery, which would provide the space for the new art gallery spaces.
Other removal works will include the exterior decking to the former church hall, a lean-to the building adjacent to the carpark,
decking adjacent to Ovens Street, and internal landscaping (except the elm tree).
New landscaping is proposed within the central courtyard area around the elm tree that will provide greater visibility and direction for visitors to the site.
There will also be partial demolition of the canopy along the internal façade of the WPACC.
Cr Dave Fuller said the permit is the next step in a process that’s been going on for eight years.
“We’re looking forward to hopefully nding some funding from any level of government to assist,” he said.
Mayor Irene Grant said funding is going to be critical for the development and it’s something council will consider doing in a staged manner.
“Our vision for this development is one that is going to add signicantly to the social and artistic fabric to the Rural City of Wangaratta,” she said.
“I’m hoping that we’ll see it realised in the near future.”
By BAILEY ZIMMERMANN
DRIVERS involved in a collision of one of Wangaratta’s busiest intersections avoided major injury on Wednesday morning.
Emergency services attended to the collision between a sedan and a utility on the Green Street and Ryley Street intersection around 11:30am.
Leading Senior Constable Scott Miller of Glenrowan Police said it’s believed the driver of the sedan failed to give way turning right from Ryley Street onto the Green Street bridge, colliding with an oncoming utility.
“There was no drugs, alcohol involved, it was just an accident,” he said.
Led Sen Const Miller said a 75-yearold male driver of the sedan was treated for minor upper body injuries at the scene while the driver of the utility was uninjured.
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said the 75-year-old was taken to Northeast Health Wangaratta in a stable condition. Traffic was diverted around the incident for around 45 minutes.
A $100,000 cash surplus from 2024’s ‘comeback’ event has given Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues organisers con dence as they prepare for this year’s festival.
The surplus, along with the addition of four new board members, the re-signing of artistic director Serge Carnovale and a streamlining of the event’s constitution, were among the items of business at Tuesday’s annual general meeting.
Held at The Railyard in Norton Street, the meeting drew about 30 people, with many of them keen to express their appreciation and to compliment the board for last year’s successful staging of the event under a new venue-based model.
Last year’s resurgent event followed what had been billed as the festival’s nale in 2023.
Festival chair Andrew Nunn said it had always been the board’s plan to emerge from the 2024 festival with a surplus, and it was pleasing to see the $100,000 total.
However, he said organisers would still rely on grants, sponsorships and donations as they embarked on planning for this year’s event.
BY SIMONE KERWIN skerwin@ nemedia.com.au
“Community generosity was what drove last year’s event, so if people are able to jump on board with assistance, it will continue that,” he said.
He said the festival’s new look was a more self-sustaining model which would help the board build for the future, and locals and visitors could expect a similar event this year to 2024, with some minor tweaks.
“It’s great this year to say,
‘This is what we need to do’, with the knowledge of what happened last year. We don’t have to start everything from scratch,” he said.
“We are building the festival back up slowly.
“A lot more people have come forward willing to help, and we have a much better idea now of how to utilise this generosity too.”
Changes to the festival’s constitution are designed to provide a strong governance framework for the future.
“The last constitution was the result of 25 years of dif-
ferent people cutting and pasting; now we’ve got something that is similar to what other groups operate with,” Mr Nunn said.
The re-appointment of Serge Carnovale, who brings a wealth of experience in live music events to the event, has been another condence-booster for festival organisers.
The founder and owner of Melbourne’s Paris Cat Jazz
is a positive sign for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues.
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: A $100,000 cash surplus from last year’s event is a positive sign for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues.
INSET looking ahead to the 2025 event a er holding their annual general
INSET: IN TUNE: Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues organisers are looking ahead to the 2025 event a er holding their annual general meeting on Tuesday.
Club, who has been open in his praise of Wangaratta and the festival, has signed on for a further two years in the artistic director role.
Further, the addition to the board of Emma Christie, James Dunne, Jenny Hart and Rodney Barnett at Tuesday’s AGM takes the number of board members to nine.
“They will hit the ground running,” Mr Nunn said.
“Emma did PR for us
last year, so brings skills in that area, while Jenny and James bring governance experience, which will help strengthen that side of things for us, and they are keen festival people as well; Rod is a lawyer and also brings lots of knowledge to the board.
“Over the next year or two, the focus will be on developing the skills of local people; the festival o ers a chance for people to build their ex-
PHOTOD: Jacob McKay
perience in areas like event planning and governance, by learning from those people we have involved.
“For instance, Serge runs one of the most successful clubs in Melbourne - one of the most liveable, culturally vibrant cities in the world - and Sarah (Thompson, director) is one of the best fundraisers in Australia. There is a lot to learn from jumping on board.”
Go in the running to win a share of $20,000 for your community group
By JORDAN DUURSMA
CONNECTED Community
Wangaratta supported by the local Bendigo Bank branch are o ering over $20,000 to local community groups at their “Mega Grant, Mega Ask’ event on Wednesday, 19 March at 5:30pm.
Usually launched in August for awarding at their December Annual General Meeting, internal bank development changes has accelerated the process for the volunteer board. The bank’s regional man-
ager, Galen Munari, conrmed the current role of the Connected Community will end in 2025, across the state.
The March event will allow the local board the opportunity to see out their funds, and award as many groups as possible through their meritbased applications.
The ‘Mega Grant, Mega Ask’ night will be held at the Tra c School in Ryan Avenue with the support of Wangaratta Lions, who will run the centre and cater the evening. All groups based in the municipality are invited to
participate by registering by email to get a form.
Co-chair Maria Wadley said groups will also be able to bring their young children for a social ride at the trafc school, have some snacks and talk with other likeminded community groups.
“Then at 6pm we will open the oor to groups to ‘Mega Ask’ and tell us about their project,” she said.
“We will award on the evening up to $21,000 to meritorious applications.”
This night will take the group’s overall donations to
nearly $150,000 over its eightyear period.
Treasurer, Jennefer Houghton, who has been one of two board members since the beginning in 2017, said Connected Community Wangaratta is proud of the range and diversity of groups they have been able to help.
“From Scouts, to sports, to Landcare groups - we’re a great community and the range re ects terri c volunteers,” she said.
For more information, please email the group on bbccwangaratta@gmail.com.
Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre
Friday, 7 March 2025 at 7:30pm
By STEVE KELLY
MEDICAL advocacy bodies have welcomed the roll-out of bulk-billing to all Australians but a local GP has warned of a critical GP shortage if not addressed as a priority.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered Labor’s major election promise as an instrument to help reduce the cost of living while also addressing key health sector challenges in affordability and accessibility for everyday Australians.
Under the plan Labor said nine out of 10 GP visits will be free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030 under an $8.5 billion Medicare election funding promise.
Labor said will deliver more doctors and nurses into Medicare, with 400 nursing scholarships and the largest GP training program in Australian history, funding the training of 2000 new GP trainees a year by 2028.
Wangaratta South Medical Centre principal Dr Julian Fidge said the aspiration to increase bulk-billing rates was great, and it may allow his clinic to continue to bulk-bill concession and pension card holders for now.
“But in rural Australia we rst need more doctors to provide consultations, whether they are bulk-billed or not,” Dr Fidge said.
“For us, the government has put the cart before the horse.
“You may remember the rst thing this government did was to
declare the outer suburbs of the capital cities to be areas of need, which led to many doctors moving to the capital cities.
“There is no incentive for the government to look a er rural Australians, because we don’t have enough voters to in uence them.”
Indi MP Helen Haines welcomed the government’s announcement that will deliver 18 million bulk billed GP visits each year, more nursing scholarships and more places for GP training programs.
“This announcement could be a positive step towards reducing the persistent, intergenerational healthcare inequities experienced by rural Australians,” Dr Haines said.
“If re-elected as the Independent Member for Indi, I will be watching closely to ensure these measures meaningfully address the shortfalls in regional and rural Australia.”
Dr Haines made special note of the $265.2 million to expand GP training must include Rural Generalist training places,
“so that we get more GPs in the bush”.
She also said $48.4 million for an extra 100 Commonwealth Supported Places for medical students must include places in universities like LaTrobe University and University of Melbourne’s Rural Medical Pathway, which enables medical students to stay in their communities while they study and train to become a doctor, increasing their likelihood of staying and working in rural areas.
“As a former nurse, midwife and health research, I have long advocated that training rural students close to home is the most e ective way to get more rural doctors,” she said. Liberal candidate for Indi James Trenery said it has never been harder and more expensive to see a doctor than it is right now.
“GP bulk billing has collapsed from 88 per cent under the Liberals to 77pc under Anthony Albanese, “ Mr Trenery said.
“Last nancial year alone there were 40 million fewer bulk billed
GP visits under Labor, in comparison to the Liberal’s last year in government.
“To address this, a Dutton Liberal government will invest $9 billion into Medicare to address Labor’s healthcare crisis and ensure Australians have timely, affordable access to a doctor.
“We will match the $8.5 billion investment into Medicare dollarfor-dollar to x Labor’s mess and restore bulk billing back up to Coalition levels.
“We have also previously announced that we will invest $500 million to restore critical Medicare funding for mental health support, a er it was slashed in half by the Albanese government.”
Minister for Health Mark Butler said patients and families will save hundreds of dollars a year in outof-pocket costs, with patient savings of $859 million a year by 2030.
He said the expanded bulkbilling to all Australians will take place from 1 November at the same time a new Bulk-Billing Practice Incentive Program will support practices that bulk-bill all their patients.
“On top of the bulk billing incentive, fully bulk-billing practices will receive an additional 12.5 per cent loading payment on their Medicare rebates,” Mr Butler said.
“The combined investment means around 4800 practices will be in a better nancial position if they adopt full bulk-billing.”
BUYING a home can feel overwhelming, but Hume Bank is here to make the journey sweeter.
On Saturday, 1 March from 10am to 3pm the Hume Bank Wangaratta branch is hosting a ‘Home Sweet Loan’ event - a chance for locals to get expert home loan advice, enjoy a sweet treat, and access an exclusive on-the-day home loan rate.
Whether you’re dreaming of
buying your rst home, thinking about re nancing, or curious about investment properties, this event is for you.
The local Hume Bank lending team will be on hand to answer questions, talk through options, and help you feel confident about your next steps.
And if you’re ready to move forward, you could lock in a special local only rate, available only to event attendees
who attend on the day.
As a special thank you for coming along, everyone who RSVPs and attends will go into the draw for a Golden Ticket Giveaway - with two $500 McPhail’s vouchers up for grabs to help make your house a home.
“We know buying a home is one of the biggest decisions people make, and we want to be there to make it easier,” said the Hume Bank team.
“This event is a chance to
chat, ask questions, and walk away feeling more informed - with the added bonus of a special loan rate and maybe even a prize.”
If you can’t make it on the day but still want home loan advice, don’t worry - you can request a callback from one of Hume Bank’s lending specialists through their website. For more information visit humebank.com.au/homesweetloan.
But spaces are limited so get your entry in now
ONE of the most popular competitions in the Wangaratta Marathon is the Community Challenge.
Everyone can help their team win just by nishing.
Every team entrant regardless of which event and how fast they run or walk scores a point.
The team with the most points wins a $1000 gi voucher at the Wholefoods Wangaratta shop, there’s also a runner’s up prize of a $500 gi voucher.
The Wholefoods Wangaratta team will also be handing out free organic fruit to marathon and fun run competitors.
Based on entries so far the competition is close with many teams rounding up their workmates or classmates to enter and build a strong team.
The community spirit for one of Wangaratta’s major sporting events is high. Anyone can join a team or create a team when entering.
Wholefoods Wangaratta is at 13 Baker Street with a second store in Wodonga and they have been keeping the region supplied with high quality healthy food and goods for more than a decade.
This is a family business, giving to the community which is what the event is all about race director Liam Delany said.
Mr Delaney has been impressed with all the local sponsors and support for the event.
“It really shows what a great city Wangaratta is, so many businesses and individuals have got in touch to help,” he said.
“Be sure to thank the many marshals and other event sta out on course as you cross a road with care or enjoy a drink to get through your run or walk.
“The money donated to the Lions Club for their help will come back to the community again so it’s a great win for Wangaratta.”
Entries are looking strong with 400 participants being the maximum for each distance, the half marathon and 10km already past 50 per cent sold.
“The event also wouldn’t be possible without the many volunteers from the Wangaratta Lions Club.
“With the many generous sponsors we are seeing some very strong runners enter but you’ve got to be in it to win it so get your entries in as soon as you can,” Mr Delaney said.
“Entries close Friday, 14 March at 5pm and there will be no on the day entries.
Number pick-up can be 2-5pm on Friday, March 14 at the Chronicle at 37 Rowan Street and Saturday 2-5pm at the Showgrounds start/ nish area and from 6am on Sunday morning before your event starts.
To enter just head to www. northeastsports.com.au.
By GRACE FREDSBERG
NORTH Wangaratta Com-
munity Group will be hosting their bi-annual Clean up Australia Day event on Sunday, 2 March.
Group founders Marg and Clive Pullen said they have been cleaning up Wangaratta’s streets for 25 years.
They said that their biggest motivation is creating a cleaner entrance to Wangaratta, as well as camaraderie.
“If we don’t do it, who is?” Marg said.
Clive added that partaking
in community service like this shows your pride in the community.
“We were passionate about Wangaratta, but we were also passionate about the North Wangaratta community,” he said.
Marg and Clive said they were pleased that litter in the area has declined in quantity over the years.
In addition to the clean-up event, the community can also participate in the group meetings and other projects.
“We have been responsible for many exciting projects
A WANGARATTA woman has admitted to a ra of assaults, abuse and the offending across the rural city as she was released from custody.
The 22-year-old represented herself at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Monday from the custody box, refusing a lawyer and choosing to have the matter dealt with a guilty plea.
She has been in custody since 22 January this year when she was arrested at Open Door Neighbourhood House, a er she assaulted
a sta member and poured milk over the oor. It was the second time she had o ended at the Neighbourhood House, after throwing a table at sta and putting the Burke Street house into lockdown on 24 June last year.
The court heard the Wangaratta woman committed a number of assaults around the Wangaratta township with incident involving public service workers, her carer and police o cers.
Awaiting a court appearance on 25 September, 2023,
here for the residents, the community,” Clive said.
They were previously involved with a clean up down at Reidy Creek, where they tidied the area and planted native vegetation.
Everyone in the community is encouraged to partici-
pate in the clean-up, which has been bolstered by the non-for-pro t organisation, Keep Australia Beautiful.
“We’d like people to appreciate what we do and hopefully be able to take better care of their environment,” Marg said.
They also commended the Rural City of Wangaratta for supporting their e orts over the years.
Marg and Clive recommend wearing appropriate attire for cleaning, and preferably gloves, though these can be supplied on the day if needed. The group will be meeting at the North Wangaratta Recreation Reserve at 9am on Sunday, 2 March. A erwards, participants are treated to a morning tea at Reidy creek. No registration is required.
the court heard the 22-yearold was taken back to Wangaratta police custody due to her behaviour at court and refused to leave her jail cell.
Dr Peter Chu, vascular surgeon, is dedicated to providing effective and prompt treatment of circulatory and venous conditions to the Northeast region of Victoria. He has recently established The Melbourne Vascular Surgery & Vein Clinic, and can now, in conjunction with Melbourne Vascular Imaging, bring the latest minimally invasive or “walk-in walkout” treatment strategies for varicose veins, spider veins and other venous disorders to the Northeast region.
She was abusive at custody o cers as they attempted to place her back into a police vehicle, telling an o cer “I’ll kill you” and spitting at another o cer.
The 22-year-old also assaulted police o cers on 24 and 25 October last year. She stomped on and slapped o cers as she tried to avoid arrest at her own home and spat into an of-
cer’s face and kicked their chest avoiding arrest for stealing $20 worth of items at Woolworths.
fore resisting police arrest, appearing to be drug e ected.
SUPERFICIAL VENOUS REFLUX DISEASE IS PROGRESSIVE. SYMPTOMS CAN WORSEN OVER TIME IF LEFT UNTREATED.
Fast-food restaurants also felt the brunt of the 22-yearold’s rage, causing more than $2000 worth of damage to McDonalds Wangaratta’s menu screen a er she tossed a wet oor sign at sta behind the counter on 12 October last year, a er pushing and punching a sta member.
A week earlier she was served a meal at KFC and complained to sta that it wasn’t fresh.
Patients who suffer from super cial venous disease may present symptoms of:
As a replacement meal was given to her, she threw chicken at sta members and abused them, pushing one of the sta .
• Varicose veins • Swollen limbs
• Skin changes and ulcers
• Leg heaviness and fatigue • Pain
She returned later that morning and spat in the same sta member’s eye be-
She also admitted to charges of the , stealing around $25-30 of groceries le out the front of a op shop.
When approached by police about the the , she told
the o cers the bag was hers.
The court heard the 22-year-old was on a community corrections order throughout her o ending, which would be varied to include mental health and drug and alcohol abuse treatment.
Magistrate Ian Watkins also issued a further community corrections order assessment.
The matter will return on 24 March for judicial monitoring.
Contact to organise a consultation (03) 9348 9446
“You have to stay out of trouble in the meantime,” Magistrate Watkins said.
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Dr Peter Chu, vascular surgeon, is dedicated to
e ective and prompt treatment of circulatory and venous conditions to the Northeast region of Victoria. Dr Peter Chu with the assistance of Melbourne Vascular Imaging, o er the latest minimally invasive “walk-in walkout” treatment strategies for varicose veins, spider veins and other venous disorders to
THE sun is shining on the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues again with the 2024 event making a cash surplus of $100k.
It’s an event that made Wangaratta come alive over the Melbourne Cup weekend last year and there were a lot of winners from its rebirth.
With any music festival you must have the right ingredients to make it work and it very much seems that last year’s event was a good restart for the long-running jazz and blues event.
All the gigs were performed at pre-existing venues in Wangaratta and this proved as a win for organisers, businesses, and patrons.
Milawa Monday was also a hit as it showcased not only Wangaratta but the serenity and attractiveness of the district and iconic locations like Brown Brothers and the Milawa gourmet region.
Event organisers worked with what’s already in Wangaratta and that’s a generous spread of staffed hospitality venues.
But the main reason why it worked is because of the support from the board, volunteers and the generous donations of the community.
The continuation of this support is vital to the ongoing success of the event into the future.
Grants, sponsorship and donations are paramount if the festival is to go from strength to strength and spread its wings again.
Many different formats have been experimented with over the years and the knowledge gained from this led the right formula.
It’s important the community gets behind the event, as it brings millions of dollars to the local economy and provides a stage to market Wangaratta as a destination to a national audience.
FACEBOOK users this week commented on the Wangaratta lawyer who will be taking legal action against Richmond footballer.
• Lisa Delahunty Peach: About time these footballers learn that their actions have an end result…….consequences = tear up your contract!! Written into their contract that 1 strike you’re out!!!
• Rhys Smith: I want to see the vision. We have
only heard one side of the story.
• Kevin Johns: I wonder what would happen if negotiations were to not be agreed on? Maybe that is why the said Richmond player is not replying, on the grounds he might incriminate himself.
FACEBOOK users this week also commented on the passing of local fireman Vale Graham Colson.
AS a person affected by the Fire Services Property Levy, I note that the Victorian government is constantly failing to come clean on where this money is actually going?
I am not a member of the CFA, but observing from the outside looking in, they do not seem to be getting much of it.
Is this just another thinly disguised tax increase from a bankrupt government?
It’s long overdue to actually see an independent audit, to show us, where this money seems to be not going.
Marc Chic, Wangandary
I NOTICED that the Prime Minister hosted a dinner for the Teals and Independents at The Lodge at the close of the last parliamentary sitting, at taxpayers expense, to gain their support in case of a Labor minority government.
The old saying, “there is no such thing as a free lunch” certainly comes to mind.
Here in Indi the so-called Independent member also needs to state prior to the election, who she would support.
NOTE: Comments as they appear online, without corrections.
• Lisa Delahunty Peach: He will be sadly missed, his visits & his stories. Very sudden…… Condolences to Sally & family.
• Tania Maxwell: A wonderful man. Always willing to help others. RIP Graham.
• George Mennie: An old work-mate who will be sadly missed. R.I.P. Graham
• Bobby Boss: A true gentleman Graham was.. RIP mate..
FACEBOOK users this week also commented on incendiary devices setting spot fires across Wangaratta.
• Hugh Mags: lol it’ll amount to nothing if they can’t even find the people responsible for the series of explosions in random spots of town.
• Robert K Fisher: 20ys jail if devices followed
• Bobby Boss: And what will happen if they get caught…….NOTHING.
Our follower total is Like the Wangaratta Chronicle Facebook page to have your say.
15,174
People have been su ering under the Labor government, if you want a change, vote for the LNP Coalition, not for someone that won’t tell you where your vote will end up.
The Independents will claim that they will negotiate the best outcome for “their” electorate while the cost of living and economy are neglected.
Any government big enough to give you all you want, is strong enough to take all you have.
Keiran Klemm, Londrigan
SEVERAL election cycles ago (and no longer relevant), Indi made a choice to make this electorate independent.
I understood the thinking back then.
People thought we were not getting enough from the incumbent government.
The thought was to make this seat marginal and we would command more.
But pause for thought, this seat will never likely become a Labor seat, so it is
IN THE DARK: Shake out your stresses each week at Wangaratta Sports and Aquatic Centre on Fridays from 6:30pm to 7:30pm at No Lights No Lycra. A er a successful trial period helped set up by the Grit and Resilience Program, the sessions run weekly as part of a global movement of dancing in the dark for the pure joy of movement. Each session costs $8.50, for more information or to book in visit https://www.wsac.vic.gov.au/About-us/Whats-On/No-LightsNo-Lycra or call 5722 1723.
independent or Liberal.
With there being a very good chance of the Liberal party becoming the next federal government my question to those who vote independent is, why ?
If the Libs get elected, an independent will never garner the support and backing which a Liberal Indi member will.
The Liberal party will make very sure that they keep this seat blue and that means giving it the attention and resources which it deserves.
You voted independent to get more, are you now voting independent just on principle?
If your vote is in the best interest of the electorate it would be for a Liberal candidate for a Liberal government.
Consider the alternative, should Labor win, it will most likely be in a minority and they will have to form a government
FACEBOOK users this week commented on the local council’s decision to remove parking meters and replace them with a digital only payment option.
• Troy Dowell: So when I get a parking fine I’ll take it to the council and give it back to them because cash is legal tender and I had no machine to put it into.
• Ashley Clough: So there is a permit system available also ? From the council office?
So when 1000 people all turn up at 9.00am Monday to get a permit, will they be served promptly ? Where will they park legally ? So many questions lol
• Kevin Adams: I do NOT use Apps.. nor do any financial transactions of any sort on my phone. So how is this stupid APP supposed to work for me... and many, many others in the same situation? Why don’t our elected representatives LISTEN to us???? It’s infuriating beyond words, and makes us lose all
faith in our council.
• Tim Bright: Will not be not paying $1.10 on a credit / debit card how much are the processing fees and app costs to council. What an absolute scam. Unlike most I’m not taking the phone with me everywhere and keeping it charged, connected to the internet and updated to run an app they can nick off. The easy park app only runs on recent devices. My Mum hasn’t got a smart phone at all. Many
wangarattaplayers
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To promote auditions for their next production, Wangaratta Players used the villagers of Baskerville (and Mrs Hudson pictured) to spread the rumours. Click on the QR Code to see what all the chat was about.
Check out some of our best photos at our @wangchronicle Instagram account.
Mick Jeffrey @MHJeffrey027
people can’t afford a phone.
• Leslie Matthews: Oh no it’s the 21st century coming to Wangaratta, what will we do now?, how will we cope? Still plenty of free parking, some of you might have to walk, won’t do you any harm..
• Peter Whitten: So they don’t listen to their rate payers? Stuck in the dark ages and encouraging everyone to shop elsewhere and online!
• Craig McDonald: Glad to see Council entering the 21st century
Our follower total is Like the Wangaratta Chronicle Facebook page to have your say.
15,174
X USERS this week tweeted about running in the marathon, footy players from Wangaratta and Nick Cave.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be worried about the pace or lack thereof on an easy 10km run at average 7:33/km when the goal for the Wangaratta & Canberra Marathon is 6:40/km, but perhaps I need to loosen the belt more with go time approaching as rapidly as it is (20 days to Wang) Roo @SuperCoach_Dos
Funny enough, Joe Berry and Joe Richards both from the town of Wangaratta and even played at the same footy club before being drafted (Wangaratta Magpies)
Diana Yallop Voted YES. @YallopDiana
Thank you Louis. Like Nick Cave, I am a child of Wangaratta in NE Victoria Australia & can identify with his recollections of a rural town childhood. His father Colin was THE towering intellectual in town & as Nick shares, “exciting to be around.”
If you have something to say, add our handle @wangchronicle to your tweet and we will publish some each week. NOTE:
AustralianAnglican @AustAnglican
24 February 1902: consecration of the Ven. Thomas Henry Armstrong (1857-1930), Archdeacon of Gippsland, @StPaulsCathMelb, to be first Bishop of Wangaratta. One half of a double consecration for the two new Victorian dioceses, with H A Langley.
BY SHANE DOUTHIE sdouthie@ nemedia.com.au
WOMEN and non-binary people of Wangaratta - get ready to hit the dance oor once again for a night of music, movement, and connection, all for an incredible cause.
The Women’s Dance Party Fundraiser is back, bigger than ever, on 21 March at the Gateway Hotel, which will come alive with the most popular party tracks, dazzling sequins, laughter and pure joy as women of all generations come together on the dance oor.
The event was founded in 2024 by two passionate local volunteers, Dr Brooke Winzer and Jenny Chivers, who share a love of dance and a deep commitment to supporting women in our community.
Last year’s inaugural event was a sellout success, bringing together 145 women for a night of music, fun and connection and raised $4000 for the Centre Against Violence.
Brooke described The Women’s Dance Party Fundraiser as a fun, glamorous and safe space where women can dance with complete freedom.
“It’s a joyful night with a very special purpose – this year we are raising money for local women with cancer,” she said.
The party begins at 6.30pm and ends at 10.30pm, with tickets just $50 (including entry and nibbles).
To book your tickets go to https:// events.humanitix.com/women-sdance-party-fundraiser-tf8hjvt2.
Guests must be 18+ to attend but there is absolutely no upper age limit.
The dress code is wear whatever you feel fabulous in - dress it up or dress it down but comfortable shoes are a must.
The event is LGBTQIA+ friendly and welcomes people who identify as female or non-binary.
All dance abilities welcome.
The music will include an energetic mix of the best party tracks of the 60s through to today’s hits. There will be something for everybody.
Brooke also thanked the major sponsor of the night, Wangaratta Cardiology and Respiratory Centre, for their support.
“I wanted to create this event because there’s nothing like the connection of dancing with others - it’s electric,” she said.
“To all the ladies that love dancing in their kitchens… this event is for you.
“The only thing better than dancing your heart out is doing it together and for a great cause.”
This year, 100 per cent of proceeds will support local women with cancer through the Beautiful You Program.
Cancer treatment is physically and emotionally demanding, but The Beautiful You Program helps ease the burden by providing a
range of practical supports including house cleaning, gardening services, grocery vouchers, beauty treatments, and nancial assistance for wigs.
The Beautiful You Program is a registered charity with a 25-year history of supporting women through their cancer journey and was founded by Debbie Clayton, a Wangaratta local.
The charity was initially based on the Sunshine Coast but following Debbie’s return to Wangaratta, the Beautiful You Program has expanded to include a Wangaratta branch.
Debbie recently asked the Wangaratta community for fundraising assistance to allow the charity to deliver vital help to as many local women as possible.
“Jenny and I are answering Debbie’s call for help. Cancer has touched both of our lives,” Brooke said.
Jenny said the fundraiser this year was important to her on a personal level.
“I’m sure most of us know someone who has experienced cancer,” she said.
“Several of my friends and family have battled this disease in its various forms.
“Fortunately, most have endured their treatments and have
survived, but I have lost younger family members to brain cancer and other close friends to their cancers.
“Brooke and I are motivated to host this fundraising event so women who are currently undergoing cancer treatment receive practical help to hopefully make their di cult journey a bit easier.
“I also have a love of dance and have been teaching group tness for many years, so it feels right to use my knowledge and experience to help raise money for this special cause.
“I also enjoy organising events simply for people just to have fun and enjoy themselves.”
Funds will be raised from ticket sales and a ra e that will be drawn on the night.
If any businesses would like to help, the event organisers are currently seeking ra e prizescontact Brooke on 0417 318 624.
Local women undergoing cancer treatment are encouraged to apply for assistance on the Beautiful You Program website https:// beautifulyouprogram.org.au/getsupport/.
Family and friends can also complete the application on behalf of their loved one with cancer.
FEMALE and gender diverse volunteers from VICSES Hume region will unite on Saturday, 1 March as part of the organisation’s ever-expanding Women in Rescue (WIR) initiative.
Volunteers from Wangaratta’s unit were expected to make their way to the Seymour event which will provide volunteers with hands-on training experience designed to empower women in emergency operations.
Volunteers will take part in live demonstrations and skills development sessions, centred around VICSES boat response drills, Land-Based Swi Water Rescue and trailer manoeuvring.
They will also take part in a series of rescue competitions throughout the day, and have the opportunity to gain experience managing an incident from a VICSES Field Operations Vehicle mobile command point.
The event allows participants to gain experience using important tools and equipment, re ne their rescue skills, build con dence and collaborate with like-minded volunteers in a supportive environment.
VICSES Women in Rescue Hume event coordinator, Lisa Wise, said it has been fantastic to see the continued growth of the event locally, going into its eighth year.
“It’s been supported by a cohort of committed female and gender-diverse volunteers driven to maximise their VICSES experience,” she said.
“This year’s event will o er a wide variety of activities for our volunteers to bolster their emergency response capabilities and ensure they’re even better prepared to support their communities in an emergency.”
Currently, women and gender diverse members make up nearly 34 per cent (1,689 out of 5,002) of VICSES’ volunteer base, and the organisation aims to increase that number to better re ect the communities it serves.
The event follows a demanding 2024, where VICSES Hume region volunteers received a yearly total of more than 4500 Requests for Assistance (RFAs) from their communities.
Wangaratta’s unit recorded a record year in callouts, receiving 395 requests for assistance within the Wangaratta community, surpassing 2022’s gure of 391.
The unit has seen a noticeable increase in callouts in recent years, averaging around 236 callouts per year from 2014 to 2021 to 354 callouts per year over the past three years.
For those interested in joining VICSES or learning more about becoming a volunteer, visit ses.vic.gov. au/join-us.
SHOW US YOUR WHEELS NIGHT TO BE BIGGER THAN EVER
THE stage is set for one of the largest car and motorcycle displays in the North East, to be held at Tarrawingee on Wednesday, 5 March.
Organised by the North Eastern Car Club, the ‘Show Us Your Wheels Night’ is an annual event that gives owners of a wide range of special interest cars and motorcycles the chance to display their vehicles to the public.
The event is arguably Wangaratta and district’s biggest car display, with
organisers hoping that the number of cars and motorcycles on show this year will once again be well over 120.
This is the 11th year the event has been held, and it has again attracted a huge cross-section of unique and interesting vehicles including muscle cars, street machines, race and rally cars, classic and vintage cars, daily drivers and more.
The club also extends an invitation for members of the public to bring their special interest vehicles for inclusion
in the display, which is being supported by Repco and Shannons Insurance.
The gates at the club’s display area in Nolan’s Lane, Tarrawingee open at 5pm for vehicle owners, with the display open from 5:30pm. Entry fee for vehicle owners is $10 per vehicle, with spectators admitted for a gold coin donation.
Food and cold drinks will be available on the night, with the display to conclude around 9pm.
Further information contact John Bell on 0400 863334.
EARLIER this month, Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) sta were presented with 16 beautifully handcra ed quilts by Wangaratta quilting group Dorcas Quilters.
NHW were originally donated quilting fabrics and both NHW and Dorcas Quilters would like to thank the generous community members for their wonderful gi .
Donated fabric was carefully cut into pieces,
matched to a quilting design, sewn and then quilted over many hours symbolising care, compassion, and connection.
The completed quilts will be given to palliative care patients o ering warmth and comfort to both patients and their families during their challenging times.
The thoughtful donation of fabric and the dedication of members of Dorcas Quilters highlights the power of community support and the im-
pact of small acts of kindness.
Dorcas Quilters members shared how much this wonderful collaborative project has meant, not only for their quilters but for the patients and families that will receive them.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Dorcas Quilters for their generosity and kindness,” Anna Dewan, operational director, patient access & ow at NHW, said.
“Their thoughtful contribution will bring much-
“A good town, but not for you” - drug user praised for move from city
A QUEENSLAND man has been praised by a magistrate for relocating out of Wangaratta a er being caught with a large amount of GHB last year.
The 43-year-old former Wangaratta resident ew down from his Trinity Park home to plead guilty in Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Monday to drug possession and unlicenced driving charges.
The court heard on 21 May last year police taskforces Viper and Echo executed a search at a Mackay Street home under a Firearm Prohibition Order compliance check as part of a major police crime blitz in the region.
The 43-year-old was placed on the order in 2021 for 10 years.
Police entered the home and found two litres of GHB stored in a bleach bottle and a Powerade bottle, along with a small quantity of meth.
The man was arrested and a crime scene was estab-
lished as o cers sought a warrant to search the home for drugs, rather than weapons.
Police returned and found further small quantities of cannabis, $450 in $50 notes and power tools.
When interviewed the 43-year-old admitted to keeping the drugs for personal use, purchasing the GHB from online marketplace Ali Baba, arriving by post.
Earlier on 4 May, police caught the unlicenced 43-year-old driving along Wangaratta-Whit eld Road in Moyhu while under the inuence of meth.
His white Ford utility was impounded for $1085.
Defence counsel Theo Magazis said the 43-yearold moved to Queensland at the recommendation of his brother a er his o ending last year and has not re-offended since.
“Clearly his negative associations in Wangaratta contributed to his drug use and
o ending,” he said.
Mr Magazis said his client su ered a signi cant stroke in 2022 as a consequence of his drug abuse and it proved to be a “life-changing” event for the 43-year-old.
The court heard the man had an “appalling” driving record while living in Wangaratta.
“I can’t count the amount of times you’ve been caught for unlicenced or drug driving,” Magistrate Ian Watkins said.
Magistrate Watkins imposed a $1750 ne with conviction, but credited the 43-year-old’s initiative to move interstate and nd support.
“Wangaratta is a good town, but it probably wasn’t good for you,” he said.
Magistrate Watkins also disquali ed the 43-year-old from driving for 18 months and ordered forfeiture of the drugs and tools.
“Don’t go getting behind a wheel of a car up there,” he said.
FOLLOWING the sellout success of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Wangaratta Players have wasted no time launching into their next production, ‘Rumours’ by Neil Simon, in a week’s time.
If you have ever thought about performing on stage or are keen to be part of a theatre production team, then ‘Rumours’ is the play for you.
Set in the 1980s, ‘Rumours’ (the British version) is a riotous comedy that begins with a prestigious couple, Charlie and Myra Brock, hosting a celebration for their wedding anniversary.
needed comfort to our palliative care patients.
“This donation is a testament to the strength of our community and the impact of heartfelt gestures.”
NHW extends its deepest appreciation to the Dorcas Quilters for their dedication and generosity.
Donations like these make a meaningful di erence in the lives of patients and their families, reinforcing the importance of community-driven care and support.
However, just moments before the guests arrive, they discover that Charlie has been shot, and Myra is missing, setting off a chain of mistaken identities, cover-ups and outrageous rumours.
Wangaratta Players’ directors Steve Thornycroft and Leanne Kelly are holding an information session at 10am on Saturday, March 8 at the Stage Door Theatre, 4D Evans Street Wangaratta, which will be the perfect opportunity for you to find out how you can get involved with the longest running amateur community theatre company in Victoria.
If you are supercharged by what Steve and Leanne present to you at the informa-
tion session and enthusiastic about showing them what you can bring to this wonderful play, auditions will be held at 1:30pm later that day (March 8) and at 5:30pm Monday, 10 March also at the Stage Door Theatre. For more information and to register your interest go to Wangaratta Players Inc website (Our Shows 2025) or simply scan the QR code with this article for an audition pack.
Date: Sunday 2nd March 2025
LOCAL artist and educator
Janet Leith will present the rst in a series of public programs and workshops kicking o at the Benalla Art Gallery on March 1 and running over coming months.
Participants can join Janet for a day of drawing and painting on Saturday, 1 March, exploring the depths of the colour green.
Beginning in the Botanical Gardens in Benalla, participants will observe and take note of shapes and colours before heading into the gallery studio to start creating.
Janet will guide the drawing session, then teach nuances of colour mixing with acrylic paint, creating instructional swatches of green hues, before developing a botanically inspired painting study.
The workshop runs from 10am to 4pm with all materials provided, and bookings are essential at benallaartgallery.com.au/ learn where there are details of all upcoming workshops.
ANYONE interested in having fun and trying something new is invited to join the Wang Ukes for a series of lessons, starting on Tuesday, March 4 at 7pm at the Masonic Centre in Appin Street.
Hosted by Neil Foster, the lessons run for about 45 minutes, but participants can stay and sing along with Wang Ukes afterwards, and a uke can be provided to those who need one.
After five weeks, participants should have enough skills and confidence to join in the regular Tuesday night sing-a-longs if they wish to.
The cost of the lessons is $40 for five weeks (with an extra hire fee of $10 for a uke if it’s required) and those interested can turn up on the night or contact Neil for further information on 0422 209 358.
▶
BOARD VACANCY (Voluntary)
Country Universities Centre Ovens Murray Ltd (CUC-OM) has a vacancy for a Board member to serve on its volunteer Board.
Expertise in law, cyber security, finance, governance would be highly regarded.
Applicants are requested to provide a written application outlining: Why you wish to join the board
• Your community involvement
• What you can contribute to the CUC-OM Ltd Board. Please attach a copy of your resume and email to degrees@cucovensmurray.edu.au
Applications close Friday 28th March, 2025.
Learn more about CUC Ovens Murray and our strategic plan by visiting www.cucovensmurray.edu.au or contact the Board Chair – Jacqui Bramwell 0409 197 620 for further information.
AUDIENCE members represented a wideranging Wangaratta demographic at Saturday night’s Project 365 concert. The third iteration of the group’s events, the concert was held at Avian Park.
THE Rural City of Wangaratta has announced its upcoming ‘March into Sustainability’ series of events taking place throughout the month of March.
CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY
Monday, 3 March all day
Get involved and register your event, or find a registered local event to join, via the website: https://www.cleanup.org.au/ cleanupaustraliaday.
AUTUMN HARVEST FESTIVAL
Saturday, 15 March 10:30am12.30pm Cheshunt Memorial Hall
Bookings not required.
Celebrate this abundant time of year by sharing harvest from your garden and check out the community Food Hub located in Cheshunt Hall.
PERFECT NATURE PATTERNS
Thursday, 18 March 10:30am–11:15am Wangaratta Library
Bookings not required.
In this engaging and interactive session, children aged 3 to 5 will explore the beauty and significance of patterns in the natural world. This free session will be hosted by Beingreen Permaculture.
GARDENER’S LIBRARY LAUNCH
Thursday, 20 March 2pm-3:30pm Wangaratta Library
Bookings not required.
This initiative will provide access to a variety of gardening materials, including seeds, plant cuttings, and even old newspapers for composting, making it easier for local gardeners of all skill levels to grow and nurture their green spaces.
BAT CHAT
Friday, 21 March 7pm Apex Park, Wangaratta
Bookings essential https://events. humanitix.com/grey-headed-flyingfox-dusk-event.
Join the Ovens Landcare Network for this free event to learn all about Grey Headed Flying Foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus).
Bring a picnic with you and listen to local ecologist Ian Davidson present a Q & A style talk. There will be kids prizes.
To end the evening, we will watch the bats fly overhead on dusk.
By RUSSELL SULLY, JOHN NAYLOR
HOUSEHOLD electri cation and disconnecting from gas is a great cost-of-living and climate solution that will lower energy bills and make our homes healthier.
In January 2025 Australia reached a game-changing moment - 4 million household solar panel installations, and around 10 million happy consumers living under those roo ops solar.
We are the world leader with the cheapest energy delivered directly to the household from roo op solar.
Every Australian household that electri es their heating, cooling, hot water, cooking, and their car will save money.
Electrifying means upgrading your gas appliances and petrol / diesel cars with e cient, electric alternatives and powering these with renewable energy - roo op solar and a battery - to lock in ongoing bill savings.
These changes also lower polluting carbon emissions, which is good for the planet.
It makes sense to plan to replace gas appliances with electric as they reach the end of their useful life.
Save on energy bills.
An average Victorian home that uses gas for its cooking, water heating and space heating and owns a petrol or diesel car will spend $5557 a year on energy bills.
A Victorian home that has electri ed everything with e cient electric appliances, an EV car, which runs on roo op solar, and a battery will spend only $1400 a year on energy bills.
If you consider the upfront costs of purchasing those appliances and an electric vehicle, Rewiring
WONDERFUL WEEDS
Saturday, 22 March 10am-11am
Sydney Beach, Wangaratta
Bookings essential: https:// events.humanitix.com/ wonderful-weeds-2025. This activity will shed new light on plants we consider to be weeds. Participants will be taken on a guided walk and talk, exploring the origins of weeds, their surprising ecological significance and practical uses.
EARTH HOUR
Saturday, 22 March
8:30pm-9:30pm
ELECTRIFICATION CUTS COST OF ENERGY AND PETROL FOR VICTORIANS
Victorian electrified home compared to gas and petrol, annualised over 15 years
Sources: Rewiring Australia analysis. Residential Baseline Study 2021. ABS motor vehicle survey 2018. 2024 energy prices adjusted with historic real inflation. 1.8 cars (Australian average) 15 year operational lifetimes and finance terms, 30 years for solar.
Australia’s research has shown that electri ed homes are still in front, saving $4700 per year over the 15 year lifetime of those items.
Energy E ciency - Zero Emissions
Australian households account for 42 per cent of the national greenhouse gas emissions with 78 per cent coming from energy using machines that burn fossil fuels.
Australia has a one of the highest greenhouse gas emissions per 16.3 T of CO2 per capita compared with OECD countries at 11.5 T of CO2 per capita.
This is due to our reliance on coal red electricity - 58 per cent compared with 23 per cent in OECD countries.
Electrifying everything by replacing all machines with roof top solar and e cient electric alternatives will save money and reduce emissions.
The best way to run your homefor your wallet and for the climate - is to have all electric appliances
A GROUP of eight Wangaratta High School students enjoyed being part of a future-focused panel discussion at Parliament House in Melbourne on Friday, held to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
ABC science journalist Natasha Mitchell hosted ‘The Solutions of the Future’ discussion between three female leaders in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields, for the enthusiastic STEM secondary school students from across Victoria.
The year 10 and 11 WHS students travelled to Melbourne with Lia Mitchell, head of programs for Wangaratta Tech School.
The local group enjoyed listening to honest, personal and inspirational stories from Dr Ruwini
Cooray, neuro geneticist, founder and chief executive officer of Neurogen; Dr Kim Reid, a climate scientist specialising in high impact weather and a passionate science communicator; and Dr Morley Muse, renewable energy engineer, equality ambassador, and founder of the programs iSTEM Co and DEIR AI.
The floor was then opened to the students, who asked insightful questions of the experts. Students were able to continue their discussion with these specialists informally at a reception following the panel discussion.
Lia Mitchell said the Wangaratta High School contingent loved hearing first-hand from young women who are making groundbreaking progress in their fields, and improving the quality
of life for people around the world.
“It was evident that future solutions require collaboration between experts and non-experts alike, that using new technologies will shape our future, and that problems aren’t necessarily problems, they are opportunities,” she said.
“Students learned that being a scientist is about asking questions and being curious.
“When you learn to do this, you can then apply the theoretical knowledge you have gained to work towards a solution.”
The valuable and insightful event was convened in partnership with the Royal Society of Victoria and the Victorian Tech Schools and Specialist Science Centres (Department of Education).
and cars powered by solar panels on the roof top.
It is half the running costs of a fossil fuel home, and it is how we will have the biggest impact on reducing emissions and climate change this decade.
With our abundance of cheap renewable energy, solar and wind policies towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions can bring many bene ts beyond halting climate change.
These include reduced air and noise pollution, reduced tra c congestion, healthier diets, improved health due to increased activity, health bene ts through thermal insulation and improved water, soil, and biodiversity protection.
Try Electrify Wangaratta’s Home Electri cation Guide: developed by Wangaratta Landcare & Sustainability: https://wlsi.org. au/electrify-wangaratta/homeelectri cation-guide/ Visit the Rewiring Australia website.
Bookings not required. The Rural City of Wangaratta encourages the community to take time out for nature and join the world’s biggest movement to protect the planet by switching off lights and appliances in their homes for one hour, visit https://www. earthhour.org.au.
CLIMATE
Tuesday, 25 March 11am12pm Wangaratta Library
Bookings essential: https:// events.humanitix.com/climatechat-hour.
The Rural City of Wangaratta’s Environment & Sustainability team invite the community to a warm and welcoming space where individual thoughts and feelings about how climate change is impacting us can be shared in a safe space. This activity will provide no advice, no calls to action; just a space to talk, listen and share a cuppa.
HOOKED ON NATIVE FISH
Friday, 28 March 4pm–7pm Apex Park, Wangaratta
Bookings essential: https:// events.humanitix.com/hookedon-native-fish
A joint event with Rural City of Wangaratta and North East Catchment Management Authority, this interactive family-friendly evening will be full of engaging activities for all ages, including a live fish display and expert talks on conservation efforts for native fish species.
There will be a carp muster competition, prizes and giveaways, a free barbecue dinner and a talk from local fishing guru, Robbie Alexander. *For media enquiries about Hooked on Native Fish please contact Corrine Hutchinson, North East Catchment Management Authority: corinne. hutchinson@necma.vic.gov.au.
THE 150-year history of the Towong Turf Club has been encapsulated in a new book by local author, Dixie Coutts, which is to be launched on the eve of this year’s Towong Cup. Towong Turf Club Tales tells the story of an institution that grew from races on the river ats before the turn of the 20th century to become a signi cant piece of the heritage of the Upper Murray.
The club’s major milestones from its inception in 1871 to become the ‘Flemington of the Bush’ are well documented in the book and various accounts of the early days of racing paint a picture of a tight-knit community that gathered for the biggest event in the Upper Murray - the annual Towong Cup meetinghowever, it was much more than that.
In his account of the history of the club, Tom Mitchell said those occasions were also “a social and business gathering, a day of relaxation, of con ict, of celebration, of intoxication and of love.” Contributing to the club’s rich tapestry are the people and horses that
brought all the colour and drama to the Towong track - plus the occasional act of skullduggery.
A multitude of Upper Murray families became synonymous with the Towong Turf Club including the Wheelers (who arrived in the district in 1846) and the Paton, Pierce, Whitehead, Waters, Daly, Masters, Blair, Stockwell, Schintler, Jarvis and McInnes families who have been associated with it over the past century-and-a-half, and still have descendants in the area.
The Upper Murray has also been a regular and proli c producer of topclass thoroughbreds who have met with success at the highest level and also made their mark in the breeding barn.
A pioneer in this regard was Charlie Wheeler, trainer of locally bred 1915 Melbourne Cup winner Patrobas, who was associated with many big racing successes. He won the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap with Queen of Scots, the Australian Cup and Melbourne Cup with The Parisian and as far back as 1885, he scored his
It has been a pleasure to be able to contribute in a small way and to see this wonderful book become a reality.
first metropolitan success with Abuse in the St Kilda Cup.
Another winner of Australia’s greatest race that hailed from the Upper Murray was Glenloth in 1892.
There have also been many horses from the district which have won high class races such as the Sydney Cup, Caul eld Cup and Victoria Derby. There have also been a host of successful sires that have stood at stud in the Upper Murray such as the mighty Comet, whose progeny won approximately $1.5 million in stakes and included stars such as Cobbermine, Star Glow, Persian Tune and Kelly’s Eye.
Another was French Kingdom which stood at Steve Paton’s stud at Tooma and sired 60 starters for 43 individual winners of 154 races by 1975. His notable progeny included multiple city winners such as French Poet and Any Day.
One of the most successful local studs was Khancoban Station, which was owned by the Chisholm family, generations of whom were staunch supporters of the Towong Turf Club.
The stud was a proli c producer of quality racehorses by its sire roster of Comet, Shi mar and Top Of The Ladder.
In the 1970s and 1980s, station owner and entrepreneur Bruce Chisholm was at the forefront of gaining positive publicity for the turf club and his yearlings.
A 1970 report in the Corryong Courier read “and for those ladies who have a yen for glamour there will be a chance to appear on television…vice president Mr Bruce Chisholm has arranged for Albury’s Channel 4 to televise both the race meeting and his yearling parade next day.”
However, the common and ultimate ambition among the local racing dynasties over the past 150 years has been to win the prestigious Towong Cup and several have been able to add the silverware to their trophy cabinets.
Chief among them has been the family of the author Dixie Coutts (nee Waters).
The Waters’ connection to the turf club stretches back to 1900 when four members of the clan were on the committee.
◀ TELLING TALES: AUTHOR DIXIE COUTTS SAYS HER BOOK HAS BEEN A LABOUR OF LOVE, SHARING ACCOUNTS OF THE EARLY DAYS OF RACING AT THE TOWONG TURF CLUB AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OFF TRACK SHENANIGANS.
However, it wasn’t until 1959 that the Towong Cup was won by the Ron Waters trained Just Care which was bred by Ron’s brother-in-law, Don McMillan.
A decade later, Ron Waters and Corryong solicitor Ray Braham won back-to-back cups with Timor Light in 1968 and 1969.
It wasn’t until 2021 that the Rodger Waters trained Sizzleonthebridge added to the family’s cup record, the rst local win since Mal and Graeme Jarvis’s victory in 2005 with Grimhuntamug.
It was another family celebration when Euphemia saluted in 2024, part owned by Dixie Coutts and her sister Wendy Heal, who also bred the horse.
Towong Turf Club Tales also shines the light on some of the o -track shenanigans including family rivalries, claims of ‘we wuz robbed’ and a race-day raid.
The racecourse was also used as a crowd backdrop in the Phar Lap movie because of its iconic grandstand, which is a story in itself.
The book has been a labour of love for Dixie Coutts and contributing author Honor Auchinleck
(nee Mitchell) who are both steeped in local racing lore. Dixie has racing and the Towong Turf Club in her blood.
She is descended from the Waters and Paton families, both of whom have been prominent in the turf club since before the turn of the 20th century.
Honor said having grown up with Towong Turf Club’s early history as part of her heritage, it was time to share some of her father’s stories.
“It has been a pleasure to be able to contribute in a small way and to see this wonderful book become a reality,” she said.
Towong Turf Club Tales promises to be an engrossing read that will strike a chord with anyone who has had any connection with the club or the pioneering families of the region.
Copies of the limitededition book (200 copies only, $70) will be available at the launch on Friday, March 7 at the Towong Racecourse at 6pm and from the merchandise stall at the Towong Cup meeting the following day, and copies may also be ordered by emailing dixie. towongturfclub@gmail.com.
been extremely dry following a series of wet summers.
One of the effects of little rain and hot weather has been the drying out of many wetlands, which has a major impact on water birds.
Some birds leave the region seeking water to northern Australia or to the coast, while others will move locally to wherever water is present.
The White-faced Heron is by far the most common large wading bird in our region and usually just undertakes local movements.
In these dry seasons, they can be seen along rivers, in parks, drains, farm dams and even in open pasture.
The White-faced Heron is mostly light blue-grey in colour, with a
characteristic white face.
The White-faced Heron has a slow bouncing flight that is easy to recognise.
In flight, the dark flight feathers of the wing contrast with the paler grey plumage, making this bird easily identifiable when viewed from below.
It has a long, slim neck and a pointed grey-black bill.
The legs are long and a dull yellow in colour.
Sexes are similar with the young being duller, with little or no white on the face, often having a reddish colour on the underparts.
White-faced Herons are the most common herons in Australia and are found throughout the mainland and Tasmania, and most coastal islands.
They also occur in Indonesia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand, but tend to stay in a given area throughout the year.
The White-faced Heron feeds on a wide variety of prey, including fish, insects and amphibians.
They have many ways of obtaining their bill.
They have many ways of obtaining their food, including walking and disturbing prey, searching among damp crevices or simply standing in the water and watching for movement; slowly stalking prey, frantically dashing after it, or disturbing prey by stirring the water with their feet, before stabbing them with their sharp
At present, White-faced Herons may be seen with the flocks of ibis joining them to feed in paddocks on the abundant field crickets.
At present, White-faced Herons may with abundant field crickets.
Both sexes share the building of the nest, incubation of the eggs and care
of the young.
The nest is an untidy structure of sticks, placed up in a tree. Normally, only one young brood is
raised in a year.
region shrinks and concentrates their
The White-faced Heron is commonly seen locally at present, as the suitable habitat with water in our region shrinks and concentrates their numbers as they await the next rains.
FARMERS in the North East are invited to hear Shanna Whan speak at Melbourne University’s Dookie campus on Tuesday, 4 March from 9am to 10.30am.
Shanna is the rural woman, founder, CEO and face behind Sober in the Country and an Australian of the Year recipient. She decided to “do what she could to be part of the change” a er almost losing her own life to alcohol addiction in 2015.
For Shanna, the story of using alcohol to hide from traumas experienced in her gap year, and later as a way to t in, was ampli ed during her time as a university student.
Today, through her tireless advocacy, Sober in the Country has grown from an online blog into a nationally respected charity, shi ing the entire conversation around booze in the bush and saving and changing lives.
Shanna, known for her
trademark straight talk, humour, capacity to talk about hard things and the charity’s #OK2SAYNO (to booze) campaign, emphasised the importance of going “upstream”.
“Speaking to young adults is an increasingly strong focus for Sober in the Country.
“We are huge believers in addressing alcohol harm and the truth of our booze-soaked culture in rural Australia with practical education and awareness, and simply by being the leaders our future generations in ag need and deserve – something our generation never had access to.”
The Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption & Innovation Hub (Vic Hub) is sponsoring the event.
Dr Sara Hely, director of the Vic Hub, which is supported by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, said, “The collaboration aims to address crucial aspects of individual and community resilience in regional Australia”.
“Because of the importance of Shanna’s message, we’re actually opening up the presentation to all interested local young farmers around the Goulburn Valley, northern Victoria and southern NSW, who can come to Shanna’s presentation alongside the new Bachelor of Agriculture students at Dookie Discovery Week.”
Highlighting the synergy between Sober in the Country and the Vic Hub, Shanna said, “What I love about the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption & Innovation Hub is that our goals and alignments are the same – they are all about preparedness and resilience.
“We have said for over a decade now that all the conversations around sustainable agriculture don’t count for much unless we focus rst and foremost on sustainable people in agriculture.”
Register for the event at: https://www.eventbrite.com. au/e/a-morning-with-shannawhan-tickets-1257751722259
ENCOURAGING A LOVE OF BOOKS: Mem Fox met Yarrunga Primary School students including Jy Walker, Luke Kleine and Heidi Fitzpatrick yesterday, following a well-attended evening presentation for adults at the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday. PHOTO: Luke Plummer
Friday, 27 February, 2015
By SIMONE KERWIN
CHILDREN and adults alike gave author Mem Fox a rock star reception in Wangaratta this week. Whether it was in front of 250 adults at the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, or primary school children at The Hub in Yarrunga, she had her audiences rapt as she read a selection of her picture books, including The Magic Hat, Where Is the Green Sheep and Koala Lou. Wednesday evening’s free presentation at the WPAC was organised by the Rural City of Wangaratta Early Childhood Network, and billed as “Reading to Your Children Will
Ms Fox was impressed with the turnout in the centre’s Memorial Hall, saying, “You’d never get a crowd like this in a big city”.
She was warm, funny and inspiring as she spoke about one of her true passions in life (after being a wife, mother and grandmother) – the need to read to children for ten minutes a day from birth to develop their feeling of wellbeing, their language and their brains.
“I get sad when people see others reading to very young babies and say, ‘Why would you do that, they can’t understand a word you’re saying’,” she said.
looked into this, to find that only 25 per cent of the brain is developed at birth – if a child only has 25 per cent of its brain, what we do for them is so important.
“My grandson was born at 30 weeks, and weighed only a kilo.
“I was beating down the door to get in and read the same book every day into his humidicrib.
“By the time he was born, I knew about this brain thing, and I thought, ‘I’m not letting him miss out because he’s so small’.
“His paediatrician sidled up to me one day and said, ‘I wish more people would do this – you’re changing his life forever’.”
Luke Alleva is The Dancin Man
A SHOW which celebrates the quintessential song and dance men of the stage and screen will be presented at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre on Friday, 28 February at 10.30am.
Performer and choreographer Luke Alleva presents The Dancin Man, taking the audience through the songs made famous by the likes of Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Donald O’Connor, The Nicholas Brothers, Sammy Davis Jnr and more, all with a modern twist and accompanied by a three-piece band.
Tickets for this high-energy production are available at the box office or visit wpacc.com. au.
THE Wangaratta Caravan Camping and Leisure Roadshow will be held at the Wangaratta Showgrounds on Friday, 28 February to Sunday, 2 March from 9am until 4pm.
The event brings together some of the biggest names in the caravan and leisure industry with the opportunity to speak directly to industry professionals, business owners and manufacturers.
Browse hundreds of caravans, camper trailers, e-bikes, motoring, 4x4, camping accessories and much more, as well as live entertainment and demonstrations, with tickets available at expozgroup.com.
THE Winsec Savings and Loans Wangaratta Cup Day will be held on Saturday, 1 March at the Wangaratta Turf Club from 12 noon to 7pm.
Enjoy all country racing has to offer at one of Victoria’s premier racetracks where you can try backing a winner, enter fashions on the field, watch the live racing action and enjoy the on-course entertainment.
There will be plenty of outside grandstand seating for those looking to watch the races from a great undercover spot and tickets available at country.racing.com/wangaratta/ calendar/wangaratta-cup.
THE Beechworth Music Festival (BMF), a diverse and gender inclusive event now in its fourth year, has an action-packed family fun day in store on Saturday, 1 March.
From kid’s novelty races and face painting to the Golden Boot toss, highland games, a fun run, cricket match and spinning wheel, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Music is set to pump with a di erence when headline act Afrobiotics, a six-piece band from Melbourne, hits the stage with interwoven rhythms and ery energy incorporating sabar rhythms from Senegal. Also on the lineup is Beechworth’s
rising star – singer and song writer Samara Bright - and Melbournebased Magic Bean Guillotine, led by former “Beechworthian” Sam Shallue.
Four-piece rock ‘n’ roll/rhythm and blues band Minnie and The Moonrakers will entertain the crowd too, along with Albury Wodonga’s dynamic young fourpiece band, Lucey.
Co-founder Rikki Raadsveld said many community organisations are involved in the day with local businesses on board too, all loving the community vibe.
The event, which drew more than 1200 last year, takes inspiration from the old Stanley New Year’s Sports Day, o ering activities and a
safe space to play for all ages.
It also brings back many memories for locals and all who were sad to say goodbye to the traditional sports day back in the 90s.
Local CFAs in Beechworth and Stanley, Stanley Athenaeum, Stanley Landcare, the community post o ce, Stanley and Recreation Reserve committee and Beechworth Primary School Parents and Friends Association will be among recipients of fundraising dollars from the day.
A shuttle bus will be running hourly from Beechworth to and from Stanley with more information and tickets available at www.springditch.com.
TWO new exhibitions, Crystalline by Elizabeth Willing and Barra by Juanita McLauchlan, have opened at the Wangaratta Art Gallery.
Crystalline brings together existing and new bodies of work by Brisbane based artist Elizabeth Willing that explore the interconnected qualities of alcohol and sugar, and is on display in Gallery 1 until May 18. Barra, meaning thread in the Gamilaraay language of Juanita McLauchlan’s grandmother’s country in northern New South Wales, connects two distinct, yet interrelated areas of the artist’s practice – textiles and printmaking, and it can be seen in Gallery 2 until April 6.
Gallery on
SEE a variety of artworks created by the resident artists from the Art Gallery on Ovens when a group exhibition is held at the gallery from Thursday, 27 February to Monday, 3 March. It’s an opportunity to see the many different styles, techniques and interests of the 11 participating artists, who are all from the North East Victorian and border region.
The gallery is open on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10am until 4pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 2pm and entry is free.
THE Wangaratta community market runs every Sunday at Moore Than Swimming, located at 11-13 Mason Street in Wangaratta, from 8am until 1pm.
There are a wide range of stalls to browse with new and used items, plants, fruit and veg and more, with refreshments available, and the Wang Repair Café also on site this weekend. Stalls are available for just $20 each (no bookings required) and car boot sales are welcome for $15, with more information via the market’s Facebook page or call Sheree on 0401 665 886.
Turn your unwanted jewellery and gold and precious items into CASH
Your Questions Answered
Show your items to our expert buyers. After we have calculated the price based on its resale value, you can then decide to sell them to us or just walk away with a free assessment of your jewellery!
WHY SELL?
Is it worth keeping old jewellery that you will never wear again? The extra cash may help now or in the future rather than unwanted jewellery sitting in your drawer!
We buy all gold Jewellery, Antiques & Contemporary Jewellery Diamonds, Silver Jewellery, Gold Sovereign Coins and other coins, Precious Stones, Including Broken Jewellery and Watches and unusual Items.
“Your Jewellery maybe worth a lot more than what you think!”
LOCATED just 15 minutes to Wangaratta and a short four minutes to Tarrawingee township, this property consists of 4.09ac (1.65HA) featuring a three-bedroom brick home, great shedding, and all with sealed access off Londrigan-Tarrawingee Road.
Internally the home consists of three bedrooms, upgraded kitchen, meals and living area and stylishly renovated bath-room and laundry.
The kitchen is fitted with an electric wall oven and induction electric cooktop, separately there is a dining and meals area.
Bedrooms all have BIRs and ceiling fans.
The bathroom has been recently renovated featuring stylish vanity, separate shower with frameless glass and separate bath.
The laundry has also been renovated with new cabinetry and separate toilet.
Heating and cooling are via split system unit in lounge area.
Externally this property boasts a load of extras.
The back pergola and established gardens in the front yard offer a perfect spot to entertain guests throughout the
summer months.
Shedding is impressive with a workshop/ machinery shed (6.6mX11m) fitted with light, power and concrete floor, along with separate caravan/boat shed (3.8Mx11M) fitted with 12 panel solar system.
Water for garden and paddock use is via the bore, with all household water coming from rainwater tanks.
All three paddocks have troughs for stock water along two horse shelters.
Allotments this size are a rarity in today’s market, so if you are currently looking for a lifestyle property then look no further.
Call Hugh Amery today on 0487 777 311..
3
| Harcourts Wangaratta
| (03) 5722 9444 Price | $700,000 - $750,000 Land | 4 Acres
Location | 208 LondriganTarrawingee Road, Londrigan
1 March 10am - 3pm
The home consists of three bedrooms with all three having built-in wardrobes, an open plan kitchen and dining area, separate lounge room and separate toilet and bathroom. Heating and cooling are via evaporative cooling and gas ducted heating to keep you comfortable all year round.
Externally there is an undercover outdoor entertainment area ideal for barbecues plus a secure rear yard perfect for pets and kids to play.
Car accommodation is well catered for with a single carport and single garage. The home is in great condition and in a popular West End Location, contact us now to arrange your inspection. (03) 5722 9444.
By Chris Riley, MARQUE
THE Suzuki Vitara occupies a special place in Australian o -road folklore.
It used to be able to go anywhere the big 4x4s like Patrol and Land Cruiser could go – it laughed in the face of danger.
But this all changed with the arrival of the fourth and current generation of Vitara that no longer sits on a ladder chassis and is no longer a real o -roader.
In fact, it shares a chassis with the S-Cross model which is about as soft as they come, with front or all-wheel drive variants.
Still, Vitara remains the third best-selling model in a five model range of vehicles.
STYLING
There’s three grades from which to choose: Vitara 1.6 2WD, priced from $29,990, Vitara Turbo 1.4 2WD from $36,490 and Vitara Turbo ALLGRIP, from $40,490 – all plus on-road costs.
As you can see, ALLGRIP adds a hefty $4000 premium to the price of the car.
Metallic paint is an extra $695 and two-tone with a di erent coloured roof is another $1295.
If you had struck while the iron was hot, you could have got 10 per cent o the driveway price before the end of January.
It doesn’t hurt to ask.
The entry grade is powered by a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder petrol engine, while the turbo gets
a punchier, 1.4-litre turbocharged unit that produces 20 per cent more power and 40 per cent more torque.
The latter is the more significant of these numbers.
The cabin is decked out in a leather and suede combo trim stitched in an interesting tyre tread pattern, along with a leather-clad steering wheel and single zone climate control air.
Standard kit includes keyless entry and start, tilt and reach adjust steering wheel, 17-inch alloys, rear view camera, LED DRLs, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, adaptive cruise control and a panoramic sunroof.
Vitara is covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with capped-price servicing and roadside assistance for the first five years.
Service is due every 12 months or 10,000km.
SAFETY
Vitara remains unrated by ANCAP, but comes with seven airbags including a driver’s knee bag plus a rearview camera.
The turbo adds Adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), Blind-spot monitoring, Lane departure warning, Rear cross-tra c alert and Weaving Alert.
Two Isofix and three tether style child seat anchor points are provided.
ENGINES/TRANSMISSIONS
The 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine in the entry model produces 86kW at 6000 revs and 156Nm of
Vitara is in runout. It’s even older than the Mitsubishi ASX and that’s saying something. Time has caught up with the Vitara which simply no longer o ers enough of anything for the price.
RATINGS: Looks: 7 Performance: 7
8
torque from 4400 revs.
The turbocharged 1.4-litre engine in our test vehicle, however, produces 103kW of power at 5500 revs and 220Nm of torque from 15004000 revs.
Drive is through a sixspeed auto to all four wheels when required.
DRIVING
Vitara is starting to show its age.
Although it sits in the budget buy category, the cabin and instrumentation looks and feels dated.
But older drivers may well be drawn to the dated dash layout with its buttons and gauges, although they won’t find the cheap hard plastics attractive.
Rear legroom is okay thanks to scooped out seatbacks in front, but that’s not saying much.
It’s still pretty tight and lacks air outlets, or really anything for back seat passengers.
Cargo capacity with the rear set in use is 375 litres, with a hidden area under the floor which in turn hides a space saver spare.
Vitara is 4175mm long, with just 185mm of ground
clearance and this model weighs in at 1260kg.
It’s a no-brainer.
We’d take the turbo every time.
Fuel consumption is a claimed 6.2L/100km and it takes standard 91 RON unleaded.
Small engines aren’t necessarily bad, or even relatively low power output, depending on what they are being asked to push or pull.
The turbo addresses this problem.
It’s an easy, fun car to drive, but lacks refinement.
The six-speed auto sometimes feels like an old fourspeed the way it carries on, changing down and roaring dramatically to life if you punch the accelerator.
Also, and this has been well documented, reefing the transmission selector back for drive will see manual mode selected and the engine max out before you’ve figured out what is going on.
It becomes tiresome.
Suspension is Mac strut at the front with a basic, torsion beam rear setup, and it rides on 17 inch alloys with 215/55 profile rubber.
The car sits flat, feels taught and has a firm-ish ride,
and can be driven enthusiastically with confidence.
In fact, the suspension is excellent on backroads.
Steering is sharp and accurate and the brakes are confident.
But the Continental tyres are a bit of a disappointment as they lack grip.
The analogue clock between the air vents is a classy touch, but we’d swap it for a digital speedo.
You do however get some other totally irrelevant information cycling through the trip computer, including graphs for power and torque.
The infotainment system is well laid out and easy to use, but lacks digital radio and the navigation could do with speed camera warnings.
There’s one USB and one 12 volt socket in the lower centre console, with another 12 volt socket in the luggage area.
Rated at 6.2L/100km, with a 47-litre fuel tank, we were getting 7.0L/100km after 507km of mixed driving.
It takes 95 premium unleaded.
SUMMING UP
It’s not surprising to learn
Four cylinders inline
Maximum power: 103kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum torque: 220Nm @ 1500-4000 rpm Fuel type: Petrol 95 RON Combined fuel cycle: (ADR 81/02) 6.2 L/100km
DRIVELINE: Six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES: Length: 4175mm Width: 1775mm Height: 1610 mm
Wheelbase: 2500mm
Kerb weight: 1260kg Fuel Tank Capacity: 47 litres
Turning circle: 10.4 metres
March into Sustainability 2025 is nearly here! Explore the full schedule and get involved by visiting our website: https://bit.ly/3ERt1Ls
These engaging events delve into important topics such as native wildlife, biodiversity, and food security, o ering attendees both educational insights and memorable experiences.
Chat to our friendly Aged Care team each Thursday between 10 – 2pm at the Wangaratta Library. If you have questions about Home Care Packages, My Aged Care, or ways to stay safe and independent at home, we will guide you through your options. No appointment needed—just drop by. Prefer to chat on the phone? Give us a call on 1300 982 662.
The clothes swap will give young people the opportunity to look through a variety of clothes. Grab a few pieces or swap some of their unwanted items. It’s a free, easy, and sustainable way to update your wardrobe and adapt your evolving style. Take this opportunity to check out the Youth Hub at the same time.
Monday 17 March from 3.30-5.30pm at 29 Flanagan St, Wangaratta.
Say
Help shape our Municipal Early Years Plan by having your say. This plan shapes early years programs and support for children 0-12 in our Rural City. Tell us what’s available, where support is needed, and what that looks like for your family. Survey closes on 14 March 2025.
Help guide Council’s investment and define community priorities for events in Wangaratta. This draft strategy incorporates the desire from the community to have a diverse events calendar, which reflects our welcoming, accessible and inclusive community. The Survey closes on 28 March.
We’re developing our Council Plan and want to hear from you! Join one of our workshops at the Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre. Share what matters most and receive a $100 voucher as a thank you. Registrations are a must: https://bit.ly/4gJ6E8j 15 March, 10am-1pm 17 March, 9:30am-12:30pm 18 March, 9:30am-12:30pm
The Rural City of Wangaratta’s first-ever Business Health Check Survey is here! Share what’s working, what’s not, and how we can better support local businesses like yours. Survey closes Friday, 2 May 2025.
From now until mid-March your household may receive a call from an independent market research agency, who have been commissioned to conduct a community satisfaction survey on behalf of Council. A sample of residents will be interviewed to assess Council’s performance across a range of measures. Your details and responses are confidential, only the overall results are shared with Council. Thank you for taking the time to provide your valuable feedback. If you have any questions, please call Council on 5722 0888.
86774 Milawa Rail Trail Sealing Tender closes at 2pm on Thursday 6 March 2025.
16194 Level 3 Playground Inspections Tender closes at 2pm on Tuesday 12 March 2025.
65329 Rangeview Avenue Footpath Tender closes at 2pm on Thursday 20 March 2025.
Further details may be obtained by visiting EProcure on Council’s website.
Application No PlnApp24/191
Location 2 Greta Road Wangaratta
Proposal Application for approval of a Development Plan under the Development Plan OverlaySchedule 3. Submissions close 28 February 2025.
These applications can be viewed on Rural City of Wangaratta’s website under Development, Planning, Current Applications. Any person who may be a ected by the granting of a permit may object or make a submission (in writing). For more information, please contact Planning on 03 5722 0888.
For further information on these positions please visit wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/Careers
WHEELER
Learn
Commencing
Cost
Learn
Ukulele
5 sessions at $40
Earthworks, available for all your earthworks needsyard clean ups, stump removals, driveways, material supply and spreading, rural work and more. Call Marcus on 0491 094 545.
VACUUM CLEANER REPAIRS Repairs and services to all makes and models, free quotes, pickups and deliveries. Phone 0435 779 967.
BATHROOM renovations, carpentry and plastering, 0424 911 161.
9
8am - 12pm
Electrical tools (all tested and tagged), Thicknesser (new), Timber, garden tools, work benches, tools, wooden enclosed boxes, drills, toolboxes, chairs, safety equipment, drop saw, plumbing supplies, band saw and jerry cans, EVERYTHING MUST GO over 500 items
CONCRETING , big or small jobs, paths, driveways, shed slabs, verandahs, 15 years experience. For a free quote phone Trev Anderson on 0422 200 761.
DANIEL’S Carpentry and Maintenance Solutions. Servicing Wangaratta and surrounds. For a free quote and examples of my work nd us on Facebook or www. danielscarpentry. com.au or phone 0413 660 636.
HOUSEHOLD goods, tools, toys, clothes, bikes and lots more, 13 Leishman Street, Wangaratta, Saturday, March 1, 7am-11am.
FRANKS DOG TRAINING, behavioral solutions, quali ed, experienced, a ordable. For more information please ph Frank 0418 314 610
PAINTER, old school, for all your painting needs, commercial, industrial renovations. Phone Juliano 0412 597 482.
RECLINER chair, excellent condition, no marks, 12 months old, paid $500, selling $300 firm. Ph 0427 549 021.
FREE Range Hens, ISA Brown Pullets, POL, $35 each. Phone Becky or Hugh on 5798 1868.
GARDEN shed ABSCO cream, D 1400, W 2200, H 2200, good condition, $150. Ph 0427 056 978.
TYRES new and secondhand, trailer, rims, wrecking. New hours 9am to 5pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 44 Newman Street, Wangaratta. Ph 0428 257 221, Adzam Tyres.
WANTED to buy, pre- decimal coins: Pennies, Florins, round fifty cent coins, shillings, sovereigns, 200 dollar gold coins. Phone Ray 5721 7341 or 0401 177 370.
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite, leather seats, services as per logbook. 4 cylinder 2.2lit Diesel, auto, 1WK 1KR,130,000kms, RWC, $26,350.00 ONO. Phone Maxwell K Batey 0419 547 308.
2024 TOYOTA RAV 4 HYBRID GLX AWD. As new condition, bought 31/5/2024. Colour Glacier White, travelled 4620km, Extras include full exterior paint protect, full interior fabric protect, windows ttedwithdarkestlegal tint, oormats front and back, slimline plates CYF719. $51000. Phone Anne, 0407 065 776.
2013 Toyota Hilux, manual, 169,700km, next service 180,000km, Mongoose Multimedia player / reversing camera install 7/23, near new tyres, 12-months rego, Black Duck seat covers, new oor mats, ARB canopy & Bullbar, two Outback storage draws & boxes inside canopy, Hayman Reese ball and Pintle hook tow bars, never bush bashed, well maintained. Selling due to retirement.
AUDI A4 TDI for sale, local car, 2013 Model, 102,000kms only, pristine condition, 1,000 KLMs per tank on a long trip, rego (1AA8DW), $20,000 firm. Phone Jurgen 0438 500 888.
ROYAL Enfield 350 Hunter 2022, great learner’s bike, 3400km long rego, still under warranty, 2U4PN. Ph 0411 519 496 or 5721 3727.
AUSTRALIAN o -road camper trailer, made in Australia, full annexe, hot water, many accessories, excellent condition $22,000. Ph 0427 002 860.
1AS8UR $31,000 ONO. Phone 0403 926 144
TOYOTA Hilux 2013, 169,000km, 5spd manual, 4x4, full service history, no o road, no accidents, black duck seat covers from new, new tyres, reg (1AL4YU), RWC, $32,000. Phone Allan 0400 541 599.
OLD cars wanted, cars removed. Ph 0a435 083 115.
MITSUBISHI ASX 2017, 90000km, registered until June 2025 1OJ4NB, $15000. PH 0402 118 361
MAZDA 2023 CX3 auto hatch, reg CHC333, one owner, immaculate condition, service books, 11,875kms, RWC, $27,750. Phone Maxwell.K.Batey on 0419 547 308.
2005 Toyota Corolla Ascent Hatchback (TIZ667) May 15. 126,000km, manual, 17" alloy wheels, TRD upgrades, tinted windows, excellent condition $8000. Ph 0438 988 608.
BRAND NEW BOAT PACKAGE Stacer 379 Proline boat, Bimini Boat cover, Honda 15 HP outboard, 7 year warranty, Stacer trailer, 12 months rego, safety gear $13,000. Ph 0429 082 292.
Project Manager - Collaborative Digital Transformation Project (CODI) (Full- Time) Two Year Contract
We are seeking applications from suitably experienced and enthusiastic people for the position of Project Manager - Collaborative Digital Transformation Project (CODI).
This Project Management role will coordinate the delivery of the CODI Project within Council. Based at Councils Customer Service Centre, Benalla, and reporting to the Manager Facilities and Information Technology (MFIT), you will use your well-developed organisational skills to manage delivery of the project. Tasks include budget monitoring, reporting against milestones, and liaison with all Council staff to ensure CODI project deadlines are met.
For a confidential discussion on the position, telephone Manager Facilities and Information Technology Greg Robertson 0409 529 463.
We are seeking a dedicated Corporate Support Officer to join our People and Performance team. This position is responsible for the delivery of a full range of administration functions associated with the People and Performance Team.
In this role you will be responsible for:
Working collaboratively with the Payroll Coordinator, including being the backup for the running of the fortnightly pays in the Payroll Coordinator’s absence and undertaking the paycheck process with the Payroll Coordinator prior to the pay runs.
Ensure People and Performance information system data (ELMO HR System) is accurate and appropriately maintained in the absence of the Human Resources Coordinator.
Support the Manager People and Performance to implement People and Performance processes, improve service delivery and work on ad hoc projects as required within the department.
To be successful in this role you will need to:
have proven experience in payroll processing.
have a strong administrative background with excellent organisational and time management skills.
be detail-oriented and possess a high level of accuracy in your work.
have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport with colleagues and external stakeholders.
be proficient in using Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software.
Previous experience in human resources or a related field is highly desirable.
For a confidential discussion on the position, telephone Manager People and Performance Janine McMaster on 5760 2661.
Download an Employment Information Pack for any of these positions at www.benalla.vic.gov.au or obtain a pack from Human Resources Coordinator Rhonda McDonald, telephone 03 5760 2662.
Applications addressing key selection should reach us by 5pm Friday 14 March 2025.
Benalla Rural City Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Child Safe Organisation.
We are seeking a passionate hospitality professional to join us part-time, to help us deliver an exceptional guest experience to visitors to our site. In the absence of the Cellar Door Manager, you’ll supervise the team, ensuring excellent customer service and seamless Cellar Door operations.
Key Responsibilities
• Supervise day-to-day operations in the absence of the Cellar Door Manager.
• Support the implementation of operational activities.
• Ensure oor staff provide excellent customer service.
• Maintain accurate stock records and hygiene standards.
• Assist with staff training in Front of House activities.
About You
• 2+ years in wine and food service with hospitality coordination/supervision experience.
• Friendly and outgoing with excellent communication skills.
• Enthusiastic about wine, wine styles, and pairings.
• Competence in Microsoft Of ce, current driver’s license, and RSA certi cation.
What’s On Offer
• Work with a leading Australian wine brand.
• Permanent part-time role (32 hours/week) and predominantly day shifts.
• Competitive employee bene ts including product discounts.
For more details, contact Allyce at careers@brownfwg.com.au or (03) 5720 5500.
Advertisers please note! Much hardship and difficulty is caused to job seekers by misleading advertising placed in the employment columns. Our Employment column is reserved for advertisements which carry a specific and genuine offer of employment.
COMMUNITY
www.benalla.vic.gov.au
Our Vision is to provide pathways for all to succeed based on their individual gifts and talents. Join our amazing team of educators and a professional environment that is passionate, collegial and focused on learning for all. We are currently seeking applicants for the following ongoing position:
VCE Biology / Science Teacher
VCE Mathematical Methods / Secondary Mathematics Teacher
Or any combination of any of the above teaching methods. We are currently seeking applicants for the following Position of Leadership: House Leader (POL 3)
Applications close on Wednesday 12th March at 12pm. For further details on how to apply please visit our website https://www.galen.vic.edu.au/employment/
Our school community promotes the safety, wellbeing, and inclusion of all children.
Galen Catholic College embraces diversity and social inclusion and encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Ads for 'Business Opportunities', 'Commission Only' training courses and employment services should be submitted under those headings. Placing misleading ads is an offence against the Trade Practices Act and state/ territory fair trading acts and all advertisements are subject to the publisher's approval. For further advice, contact:
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on 1300 302 502 or your state consumer affairs agency.
The College seeks applications from suitably experienced persons for the following positions:
The College seeks applications from suitably experienced persons for the following positions:
The College seeks applications from suitably experienced persons for the following positions: Chief Exam Supervisor GAT Supervisors
Chief Exam Supervisor GAT Supervisors
Chief Exam Supervisor GAT Supervisors
Examination Period Supervisors (Casual/short term)
Examination Period Supervisors (Casual/short term)
Examination Period Supervisors (Casual/short
Please refer to our website, www.cathedralcolllege.vic.edu.au for position descriptions and application closing dates.
Please refer to our website, www.cathedralcolllege.vic.edu.au for position descriptions and application closing dates.
Ageing Well Officer
Part-Time (0.6 EFT 22.8 hours per week)
Are you passionate about supporting older adults to live healthier, more fulfilling lives? Do you thrive on building strong community connections and creating meaningful activities?
We are looking for an enthusiastic and compassionate Ageing Well Officer to:
work with a dedicated group of volunteers on the Age Friendly Benalla Reference Group
champion the Age Friendly Benalla Strategy and Action Plan
advocate for initiatives that will improve the lives of older community members and the profile of older people in our community.
To be successful you will have a qualification in Community Development, Social Sciences or extensive experience in Community Services or a related field and skills in community capacity building and working in rural communities. For a confidential discussion on the position, telephone Manager Community Jane Archbold on 03 5761 2210.
Download an Employment Information Pack at www.benalla.vic.gov.au or obtain a pack from Human Resources Coordinator Rhonda McDonald, telephone 03 5760 2662.
Applications addressing key selection criteria should reach us by 5pm Wednesday 5 March 2025.
Benalla Rural City Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Child Safe Organisation. www.benalla.vic.gov.au
DEVERELL, Karen Anne. 13/8/1969 – 19/2/2025
Cherished daughter of Helen and Je . Loved sister of Steven and Ian. Dearly loved partner of Bernie. Adored mother of Megan and Emma. For funeral details visit the North East Funerals website.
Available for Marriages, Namings, Funerals, and all your celebrancy needs.
NEWMAN, Dianne & Robert.
BEITZEL, Barry Emson. 20/12/1934 – 26/2/2025
Passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side.
Beloved husband to Marianne.
Dearly loved father to Karen, Debra, Wayne, Sandra and Kenneth. Pop to 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Forever in our hearts
Dearly loved father of Karen, father-in-law of Neville.
Treasured Pop of Brendan and Lauren, Nicole and Vaughan, Matthew and Danielle.
Loved Old Pop to Ruby and Addsion, Jordan, Evelyn and Olivia. Greatly missed but never forgotten.
The funeral service to celebrate the life of Mr Barry Emson Beitzel will be held in the Mason Park Chapel on Thursday, March 6, 2025 commencing at 2pm. Private cremation will follow this service. Barry’s service can be viewed via livestream at www.masonpark.com.au/live-streaming/ Mason Park Funerals 5721 5060 masonpark.com.au Happy 90th
RUSSELL CLOUGH
March 2, 2025
Have an extra special day dad.
~ With love Sim and Ash.
Congratulations on your 50th wedding anniversary. Love from your family and friends.
It takes someone special to be a dad, and that’s why I call you Dad! I will miss you so much and love you forever.
Your loving daughter, Debra and partner, Heath xx
Adored Pop to Adam, Melissa, Brad and Simon xx
Adored G.Pop to Jake, Trey, Eva, Max and Marley xx
Passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side.
friends for the love and support during Rob’s illness and passing.
A special mention to the wonderful team at Palliative Care for their beautiful care and compassion, and also to Lesley and the sta at Mason Park Funerals for helping us create a lovely service for Rob. ~ Geo , Dan and family.
BEITZEL, Barry. Dear Pop/ Great Pop, Swimming in your pool with all the cousins every summer is still a strong memory. It was the place to be. Thank you for… everything. You will be missed.
~ Love Adam, Kellie, Max and Marley.
Loving father of Wayne and Robyn, adored Pop of Tom (dec), William and Lucy. Thanks for the swimming lessons!
With broken hearts we say goodbye to our treasured Dad, father-in-law, Pop and Great Poppy. We will miss your cheeky grin and sense of humour.
A true gentleman, now resting peacefully.
In our hearts and forever loved.
Sandra, Ian, Keira, Leah, Lauren, Luis, Archer, Wyatt, River, Matt, Theodore and Matilda.
Dad, You had a life well lived until your time was called. You helped shape us into the people we are and for that we are forever grateful.
Now returned into the arms of family. May you rest in peace.
Ken, Annette, Fraser and Tia (in heaven)
ATKINS, Stephen. February 27, 2020
Five years ago today, my world was shattered. There’s not a day I don’t wish you were still here with me. But I hold you forever in my heart and mind. Miss you forever my darling man. ~ Bern xx
LARKIN, Jennifer Maree. 26/1/1962 – 1/3/2023
Those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day. Jenny, you are forever in our hearts. The circle of life continues. ~ Love from Peter, Matt, Sarah and Isabelle Maree, Nick and Holly, Chris and Anne.
Remember your loved one in a lasting way
The memory of a much loved family member or friend can live on through a donation to your local health service Northeast Health Wangaratta. This is a direct way of helping us to continually improve patient care and comfort, ensuring the availability of comprehensive health services in our local community.
Family and friends can make a donation in lieu of owers in recognition of the medical care and attention provided.
The bereaved family will be noti ed of your memorial gi according to your wishes and you will receive a tax-deductible receipt for your donation. To make a donation or to request information about memorial service donations or remembering Northeast Health Wangaratta in your will, please contact -
Wangaratta,
By NOEL BOYD, WANGARATTA PICKLEBALL CLUB
WANGARATTA
Pickleball Club continues to grow in popularity, with the club now o ering its members the opportunity to play outdoors on the hardcourt tennis complex and indoors at the Wangaratta Sport and Aquatic Centre.
The club plays ve times each week o cially during the day and evening.
Pickleball is best described as a hybrid of badminton, tennis and table tennis.
The courts are about half the size of a tennis court and is mainly played in doubles.
This makes pickleball a social, team sport, with players in close proximity to each other and having to communicate.
Aside from the social aspect of the sport, it’s easy to learn, so beginners can quickly master this fastpaced sport.
Pickleball has been played in Australia for about six years, but its popularity has soared in recent years.
Wangaratta is no
exception, seeing numbers of members increase weekly.
The Australian Sports Commission described pickleball as “Australia’s fastest growing sport”.
This is evident with schools now implementing pickleball into their sport programs.
The Wangaratta Pickleball Club said they are eager to help with its introduction in schools if need be.
The Victorian Pickleball Open tournament is being played over the long weekend (March 7 – March 9) with close to 700 players registered.
Wangaratta has contingent of ten players playing in the Melbourne tournament.
Additionally, the pickleball club will be hosting the Wangaratta/ Shepparton challenge on Sunday, 23 March from 11am to 1pm at the Wangaratta Sport and Aquatic Centre.
Anyone is welcome to come and observe local players in action.
It’s a great opportunity to witness live how the game is played.
Hit the winning run or just had a great day. Get a permanent reminder with great sports shots from The Chronicle
By NATHAN DE VRIES
CITY Colts duo Tyler and Josh Nanson spent Wednesday at CitiBank Centre in Melbourne, representing the Melbourne Renegades at the 2024 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tournament, and had their skills on display.
The pair played two T20 matches against the Melbourne Stars, ending the tournament deadlocked with one win each way.
Bowling rst in game one, the Renegades kept the Stars to 4/175, with Tyler holding onto a catch for the rst wicket.
Unfortunately, the ‘Gades could only muster 6/148 in reply, with Tyler hitting a run-a-ball 21 opening the batting, while Josh top scored coming in at four, smashing 27 from just 17 balls in a losing e ort.
JUBILEE GOLF CLUB
Thursday, 20 February
Ladies’ Monthly Medal
A Grade Winner: Leeanne Carmody 72.
B Grade Winner: Liz Collihole 67.
Best Scratch A: Di Murphy 81. Best Scratch B: Liz Collihole 101. Ball winners: Josie Fitzsimons (2) 70, Robyn Ottaway 73, Jackie O’Brien 73, Melody Adams 74. NTPs - 4th: Jackie O’Brien, 8th: Lee Freeland, 13th: Melody Adams, 17th: Bruna McDonald.
Saturday, 22 February
Ladies stroke
Winner: Kellie Roberts +2.
B Grade: Robyn Ottaway -2.
Ball Winners: Josie Fitzsimons -1, Alison Comensoli +3, Penny Campbell +3, Val Ellis C/B from others +4. NTPs - 4th: K Roberts, 8th: L Graham, 13th: A Mitchell, 17th: D Murphy.
Men’s Monthly medal
A Grade Winner: C Palmer (Medal winner) -5. Runner up: Pat Ernst -2.
B Grade Winner: Trevor Gunn C/B 0. Runner up: Hamish Lewis 0.
C Grade Winner: Alex Gibbs 0. Runner up: Gordon Hines +1.
D Grade Winner: Michael Lugg -2. Runner up: Stan Goldsworthy C/B 0. Best Scratch: Chris Palmer 76.
Ball winners: Ben Honeychurch 0, Paul Lawrence 0, Andrew Charles 0, Mitchell Bush 0, Gary Butler +1, Alex Jones +1, J Marjanovic Jnr +1, Mal White +1, Ian Harbourd +1, Wayne Roberts +1, Jaxon Osmotherly +1, Danny Potter +1, Mark Flack +2, Neville Hogan +2, Jim Moore +2.
NTPs - 4th: Albert Gigi (Pinsent Hotel), 8th: J Stamp (Finer Food Pantry), 13th: T Gunn (Reality Clothing), 17th: J Stamp (Appin Park Store).
Sunday, 23 February
Men’s and Ladies’ Stableford
A Grade Winner: Tom Arnold 38.
B Grade Winner: Nick Bonwick 38.
Ball winners: Glenn Ryan (2) 37, Mick Reidy 37, Christopher Rowney 37, Wayne Roberts 37, Mark Drage 37.
NTPs - 4th: Mark Dean, 8th: Cooper Matheson, 13th: Leeanne Carmody, 17th: Justin Shultz.
Monday, 24 February
Veterans stableford
A Grade Winner: John West 34.
Ball winners: Chris Palmer 33, Brian Luxford C/B 32.
NTPs - 8th: Brian Luxford.
Wednesday, 26 February
Men’s 18 Hole Stableford
A Grade Winner: Steve Fisher 35.
B Grade Winner: Geoff Veldman 36.
C Grade Winner: Bernie Grealy 37.
Ball winners: John Huntington 36, Ian Mills 35, Ian Dinsdale 35, Brian Luxford 34, Brendon Essex 34, Ian Wiedemann 34, Gary Butler 34.
Game two saw a reversal of fortunes for the Renegades, successfully defending 9/179, the Stars managing 8/151 in reply.
It was a sharp turnaround for Josh, who was dismissed rst ball a er being moved to the top of the order.
Tyler played a steady hand in the middle order, hitting 28 o 17 balls to help his side post a strong total.
The Renegades dominated with the ball, with Tyler (0/11) and Josh (2/11 and a catch) playing important roles.
VITAL EXPERIENCE: Josh Nanson and brother Tyler took on some of the best up-and-coming Indigenous and Torres Straight Islander cricketers at the ATSI Tournament in Melbourne on Wednesday.
NTPs - 4th: Alan Sands, 8th: Ian Dinsdale, 13th: Steve Fisher, 17th: Pat Grady.
WGC Competitions: Week ending 23 February
Tuesday, 18 February
Women’s 9 Hole Stableford
Winner: Karen Smith 20 points C/B.
Runner Up: Barbara Woodwaard 20 points C/B.
Ball Winners: Lois Sanerson, Lois Fitzpatrick, Julie McInnes, Helen Tate, Jacqui Hooggan, Carolyn Sullivan, Candice Jones, Barbara Thomas, Liz Madden.
Wednesday, 19 February
18 Hole Stroke Event
Winner: Andrew Storer 67 nett C/B.
Runner Up: Chris Oates 67 nett C/B.
Ball Winners: Lachy Moore, Michael Webster, Daniel McPhee, Phillip Winnell, Dean Campagna, Tom McAtee, Graeme Ray, Darren Kelly, Bill Dodd, David Woodstock, Andy Raison.
NTPs - 4th: Kurt Schubert, 7th: Tom McAtee, 9th: Dean Campagna, 13th: David Woodstock, 16th: Rod Moyle.
9 Hole Stableford Event
Winner: John Walker 33 nett.
Runner Up: Keith Fleet 36 nett.
Ball Winners: Joe Antic.
Thursday, 20 February
Women’s 9 Hole Stableford
Winner: Nora Martin 20 points C/B. Runner Up: Wendy Stephens 20 points.
NTPs - 13th: Glenda Dodson.
18 Hole Stableford
Winner: Carolyn Sullivan. Runner Up: Maggie Ray.
NTPs - 13th: Maggie Ray.
Saturday, 22 February
18 Hole Men’s 4BBB Multiplayer
Winners: Harry Allan and Nic Bonwick 81 points. Runners Up: Trevor Clark and Dan Madden 79 points.
Ball Winners: Riley Allan and Tom Rebbechi, Robert Fischer, Denis Hill and Darren Kelly, Jeremy Winter and Drew Winter, Daniel Bihun and Daymn Hoffard, Rod Moyle and Matt Nicolosi, Mark White and Doug White.
NTPs - 7th: Scott Thomson, 9th: Peter Moncrieff, 11th: Scott Thomson, 13th: Steve Noble, 16th: Peter King.
Raffle Winner: Chris Oates.
Sunday, 23 February
18 Hole Medley Stableford
Winners: Martin Anania 33 points.
Runner Up: Robert Fischer 31 points.
9 Hole Stableford
Winner: Nathan Bradley 16 points. Runner Up: Bryce Mortimer 15 points.
RESULTS Saturday, 22 February
The members played a threeperson ambrose event which was won by Angelo Garraffo Pete and Mark Nolan 71/9.3/6.61/6
NTPs - 8th: Angelo Garraffo.
Golf to be played on Saturday, 1 March will be for the March Monthly Medal.
It will be an 8.30am roll up for an 9am hit-off.
The early starts will continue for the remainder of the warm season until otherwise advised.
New members are always welcome at the Tarrawingee Golf Club with first year membership of $100 and very reasonable competition fees, this can be done by contacting a member or phoning 0428 122 590.
Tarra ladies had an enjoyable morning’s golf playing a three-person ambrose event.
Very pleasant conditions regarding the weather and the course enabled Di McLaughlin, Lynn Barrow and Toni Wilson to score well enough to record a strong win.
Next Tuesday the ladies intend to conduct their first Monthly Medal event for the year.
An early start will again happen next week.
RESULTS for Monday, 24 February are as follows: Elise Downes and Joan Dyson d Maureen O’Keefe and Bronwyn Townsend 7/1, Terry Wilson and Cheryle Beckley d Christine Ireland and Janet Kelly 7/3, Nathan Reynolds d Gavan Kelly 7/3.
On Saturday we had Carol and Paul Fenwick, members of East Brisbane Croquet Club attend and play as visitors, while they were here visiting family.
On Wednesday evening Nathan Reynolds was quite pleased with himself after running a hoop from 22 yards.
Today, Andy Barbero, Janet Kelly and Maureen O’Keefe are playing in the NEDCA Singles Qualifying Tournament at Wodonga in Divisions 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
The Tournament will decide who will represent NEDCA in the Regional Finals to be held in Melbourne in April.
Play is at 9am on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, with twilight play from 6pm on
Wednesday evenings.
Please arrive 15 minutes earlier to allow for a draw to be undertaken. The club is located at 46 Ryan Avenue, Wangaratta.
For further information please contact president Susan Fischer on 0417 217 009 or secretary Terry Wilson on 0417 326 739.
WEDNESDAY, 26 February, Ovens River.
A small group plus Angus the Scotland-born Border Collie, walked for about 6km alongside the Ovens River in warm conditions taking in Sydney Beach, the Bullawah Trail, Northern Beaches and the delightful Mullinmur Billabong facility before returning back to Wangaratta central.
Coming Events Sunday, 2 March, Beechworth Tree Walks - Erin, 0419 200 998. Rescheduled walk after cancellation last Sunday due to stormy weather forecast.
Join in on the Eucalyptus, Ha-ha Wall and White Oak walks at Mayday Hills, Beechworth.
A shady walk of approximately 6km in the 27-acre parklike grounds, with exotic trees and shrubs, set against a backdrop of magnificent native trees. Wangaratta folk meet at Rotary Park 8.15am then travel to Beechworth.
Wednesday, 5 March, Stanley village - Greg, 0407 868 070.
An easy walk of approximately 6km, exploring the history of Stanley village, including a visit to the Stanley Athenaeum (gold coin donation).
Lots of stopping to point out places of interest, picturesque views from the outskirts of the village, a little bit of up and down of 100m.
Sunday, 9 March, Havilah - Marita, 0427 521 122.
An easy to medium walk at Havilah, situated between Porepunkah and Rosewhite; the walk itself is in the forest behind Mount Porepunkah (from the direction of Porepunkah). We’ll walk along an unsealed small country road, which meanders first through farmland on one side, and native bush on the other, then into the bush where the road becomes more of a track.
The entire walk is in the shade of the forest.
The first section of the walk is flat, and then it’s a steady, but gentle uphill walk until we turn around, and walk back down to the start.
The total distance will be 12km, but it can be shortened by turning around earlier.
The ascent and descent is 222m for the full walk, but less if you turn around earlier.
ONE of the biggest feature race days on the calendar is just around the corner, with the Wangaratta Turf Club ready to host their Winsec Savings and Loans Wangaratta Cup races this weekend.
A bumper eight race card and plenty of entertainment o the track is sure to keep attendees in good spirits across the day, with gates open from 11.30am on Saturday, 1 March.
Wangaratta Turf Club CEO Emma Merlo said a booming crowd was expected to come through the gates on Saturday.
“They’re looking very strong this year, numbers keep climbing,” she said.
“We’re nearly full in our Oaks Room which is really exciting, and our Party on the Hill package is shaping up to have a really cool party vibe.
“Traditionally, Wangaratta really gets behind the Melbourne Cup day we have out here, but this is our cup, this is denitely one of our strongest feature days, and we want to keep building that in the community so everyone knows it’s a great day in March as well as November and our Christmas races as well.”
Proceedings were kicked o earlier on Tuesday morning, with the club hosting Breakfast with the Stars, a chance for the public to have a look at some of the local horses vying for glory across the eight-race card.
Local trainers Craig Weeding, Andrew Dale, Dan McCarthy, Ben Brisbourne, and John and Chris Ledger will have plenty of entrants across the day’s racing, which is set to commence a er 12.30pm on Saturday.
The club will also be holding a Calcutta on the evening of Friday, 28 February.
BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au
While the racing will be a drawcard for many, Merlo said there was plenty to enjoy even if you weren’t having a utter.
“It’s just a nice vibe to be a part of, you don’t have to be a leading thoroughbred person, you can just come and enjoy the day, enjoy some entertainment,” she said.
“We’ve got lots of free kids’ entertainment and lots of music throughout the day, and also we’ve got a DJ a er the last race for people to stay on and enjoy the rest of the evening.
“The family activities and free entertainment, there’s lots going on for kids here as well – we want to make sure we’re catering for everybody in the community.
“It’ll be a little bit toasty, 35 [degrees] will be a warm day but we’ve got OzMist supplying us with some misting fans which is great, and we’ll have some cool areas inside.”
Tickets and packages are available, with further information at country. racing.com/Wangaratta and the Wangaratta Turf Club’s Facebook page
“We’re just hoping Wangaratta gets out and enjoys a beautiful day, that’s what it’s all about,” Merlo said.
“We enjoy putting on big days like this, so we hope everyone can enjoy coming along and having a good time.”
The gates open for the Winsec Savings and Loans Wangaratta Cup races at 11.30am this Saturday, 1 March, with racing a er 12.30pm.
MATCH PREVIEWS: Saturday, March 1 2024/25 season
By NATHAN DE VRIES
LOCAL A grade batters will need to be at their best if they want to help their teams to glory as round 13 of WDCA cricket concludes this Saturday, 1 March.
Over at the Barr Reserve, City Colts are facing a daunting chase a er Yarrawonga Mulwala set 257 for victory.
Three of the top four Lakers batters made it past 40, making the most of the batting-friendly conditions to move at a rapid clip for their 75 overs.
A required run rate of 3.43 an over from the rst ball doesn’t sound too challenging, but against the Lakers talented bowling attack who have the ability to repeatedly strike, it will be a tough ask.
Thanks to a bountiful points boost from the bye, the Colts sit fourth overall and are a shot at making nals, if they’re good enough to knock o the Lakers this weekend and Rovers United Bruck in the nal round.
City Colts’ Mitch Giggins said the batting group had to perform, pure and simple.
“Batting 75 overs will be the key,” he said.
“The top order needs to re, don’t lose wickets in clumps.
“We need to be looking for partnerships, and for someone to go on with it to build a base for us to work around.
“We need to win to make nals, so leave it all out there.”
Elsewhere, a challenging chase awaits RUB against bottom-ranked Benalla Bushrangers.
On an absolute highway at W. J. Findlay Oval last weekend, the Bushies mustered 10/173 from their 72 overs, but will be backing their bowlers in to snare some early Hawks wickets.
The Hawks have only been asked to chase once in the longer format this season, a minuscule total of 67 back in round 12, but they have the batting prowess to put scores on the board.
Opener Charith Perera is the big wicket for the Bushrangers.
The power hitter has made the second most runs this season, 428 runs averaging 35.67 with a century and three half centuries at the top of the order.
However, there has been a lack of support from the rest of the line-up, with the Hawks second-most proli c run-scorer sitting 18th in the league in Jacob Schona nger’s 210 runs at 35.
For the Bushrangers, Conor Brodie (18 wickets @ 20.22) and Ross Cavill (11 @ 18.36) will be the spearheads with the Kookaburra, with Cooper Binion (10 @ 27) more than able to turn the tides of a match. All matches will resume at 1pm on Saturday, 1 March.
THE pressure will be on Wangaratta Magpies’ bowling attack this Saturday to defend a par total on a good batting deck at Beechworth.
The Magpies posted 10/224 from 70.4 overs last weekend against the Wanderers, with a win this weekend all but securing a nals berth in a matter of weeks.
Skipper Cooper Matheson starred for the visitors with 77, while a composed unbeaten half century from Kyle WinterIrving helped the Magpies to a defendable score.
Matheson said control and patience from his bowling attack will be the key to victory in a tight contest.
“I think it could go either way, as it sits now,” he said.
“The ground is in unreal condition, the best I’ve ever seen their wicket, it’s very
good to bat on - I think we’re about par with what we made, it’s anyone’s game at this point.
“It’s just your genuine twoday bowling.
“When they bowled to me, they probably bowled a bit straight, I probably scored the majority of my runs through the leg side, so we need to keep it outside o stump.
BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au
Jimmy [Thewlis] with their o es, a bit of spin on the wicket can make a di erence in a game,” Matheson said.
“We need to make them hit through covers, don’t give them anything easy.”
The Magpies bowling stocks will be bolstered by Fraser Ellis coming into the fray, but if the at track of last week is any indication, it’ll be a good day for the spinners.
“If it’s going to be as at as it was [last week], I’m looking forward to seeing Chook
“We’ve got Fraser Ellis back in as well, he’s a key with the ball so hopefully he performs for us and gets a few
“It’s just very at for the quicks, so they’re not going to get much out of it – they might earlier when the ball’s still hard but as the day goes on, I think our spin and slower stu will be key.
“We have plenty of spin options to go to, so if one doesn’t work you’ve got the other one, and hopefully they work.”
A win this weekend should be enough to guarantee the Magpies a spot in the two-day nals, but standing in their way is a formidable Beechworth batting line-up.
“Their top four or ve are unreal, so we’ve got to take every chance we get early,” Matheson said.
“If they give us a chance, we can’t be dropping catches or anything early.
“You don’t want to give Kayde or Brenton Surrey any chances, and their openers are in good form as well, so it’ll be tough.
“The ladder’s so close at the moment.”
Wangaratta Magpies take on Beechworth Wanderers to conclude their two-dayer this Saturday, 1 March from 1pm at Beechworth’s Baarmutha
TALENTED SQUAD: Beechworth’s batting line-up has proven match-winners throughout, with both Matt Ryan (le ) and Cam Fendyk able to fire should the Magpies rip through the Wanderers’ touted top order. Wangaratta’s bowlers will have to be patient enough to create chances.
day this Sunday,
AS the seasons begin to change and winter sports complete their nals touches ahead of their respective seasons, the local hockey club has put the call out for more members.
Wangaratta Dragons Hockey Club invite any and all interested people of all ages, abilities and experience levels to pick up a stick and give hockey a go at their Come and Try day this Sunday, 2 March.
BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au
and have a bit of a run.
“Hockey’s one of those sports where everyone’s welcome and everyone’s invited, regardless of skill level or ability.
“We’ve hired a co ee van, we’re going to run our own co ee van, have some bacon and egg rolls there early and throw on a bit of a barbecue.
“We’ve had Kate Reilly running some exciting school programs last week and this week, and I think she’s got a couple more next week around the primary schools in Wangaratta, we call it our Roadshow.
Held at Cathedral College from 9am-11am, it’s the perfect chance for anyone with even the slightest interest in the game to immerse themselves in the club’s culture and have a run around.
Dragons’ president Daniel Warner said all were welcome to come down and have some fun.
“It’ll be awesome, we’re looking forward to it,” he said.
“Anyone interested in joining, anyone interested in giving hockey a try, come down
“Some of our new coaches are coming, it should be good.”
Warner said all were welcome, especially any junior players to help ll out teams ahead of the season in March and April.
“It’s all about getting the word out to the community and getting people involved, but we do have a little bit of a wishlist, we’d love to get more juniors involved,” he said.
“We’re on the cusp of a few junior teams that are light on numbers.
“She’s been running hockey programs at many of the primary schools over the last couple of weeks, so hopefully there are some kids there who are interested in coming down and giving it a go.
“As far as numbers are concerned, we just want people to come and play, we don’t put a number on it, the more the merrier.”
Everyone is welcome to head down to the Cathedral College hockey eld on Sunday, 2 March from 9-am and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of the club and the fun of the sport.
“We’re an amazing club, everyone’s accepting, we don’t turn anyone away – it’s like family,” Warner said.
Wangaratta makes captaincy call as anticipation grows for next wave of ‘Pies footy
■ From back page
The former West Coast and St Kilda forward said he has enjoyed his transition to country footy at Wangaratta from the suburbs of North Heidelberg, where he was a three-time senior premiership coach.
“It’s a di erent type of set up compared to metro footy, but I’ve loved it,” he said.
Coming with Heatley from North Heidelberg will be his 19-year-old son Parker, who is coming o an extraordinary rst full season in senior football.
Parker was the Northern Football League’s leading goalkicker, booting 60 goals on his way to coming fourth in the league medal count.
Jason said it wasn’t always easy transitioning from dad to coach, but he was rapt Parker could join him at the ‘Pies and
experience a new brand of footy.
“The reality is he is a 19-year-old, his good will be good but there’ll be occasions where playing a really high level of competition will get to him and that’s where you get your greatest learning,” he said.
“He won’t be the only one on our list, we’ve got a lot of guys who are around that age who are going to have some really good moments and are going to be challenged.
“The outcome of those challenging periods is where you’re going to get your growth.”
The Magpies will also be bolstered by utility Jasper Craven, who comes to the club from Aspley in the QAFL.
His father Danny was dra ed from Wangaratta with pick 15 of the 1988 National Dra and
played 33 games at St Kilda (1989-1992), followed by 25 at Brisbane Bears (1993-1995).
The Magpies were decimated by injury for a large part of 2024, with the likes of Dan Sharrock, Clarke, Hunter Gottschling and Brad Melville dealing with long-term injuries.
Heatley said it would be like elding new recruits this year with a full pre-season under all four players’ belts.
“They’re all really healthy, primed and they’ve really bought in which is really important for me building that connection with them,” he said.
Wangaratta will host its rst practice match against Seymour on 15 March at Cathedral College and will travel to play reigning VAFA premier league premiers Old Scotch on 22 March.
WANGARATTA Turf Club CEO Emma Merlo (centre), strappers (front, from le ) Greg Brown, Courtney Purcell and Lachlan Hart, (back) ‘Fox Appeal’ and strapper Dannii French are excited about bringing the Winsec Savings and Loans Wangaratta Cup races to the community this Saturday.
■ Story page 29 PHOTO: Kurt Hickling BY BAILEY
EXCITEMENT of a new era at Norm Minns Oval is starting to build with the Magpies naming their new leaders for season 2025.
Jackson Clarke and Michael Bordignon were recently named co-captains to lead the next generation of the Wangaratta side looking to ll the void le by the departures of club champions.
ZIMMERMANN bzimmermann@
nemedia.com.au
New Magpies coach Jason Heatley said the group have placed an emphasis on nurturing their new leaders.
“When you have the exit of those senior guys like we have, it really provides that platform for the next
level of leaders to stand up and they’ve really been outstanding,” he said.
“We’ve got the next wave that’s coming through and they’ll get to test their metal.”
It’s no secret Wangaratta have entered the year with an element of uncertainty, as the likes of Callum Moore, Michael Newton, Jessie Smith, Pat and Charlie
Naish, Daine Porter and former coach Ben Reid have moved on.
Heatley said the “generational change” to their list has provided an opportunity for a new crop of young talent to shine, which he said would be in abundance this year.
“The calibre of players that have le have been literal champions of the
footy club,” he said.
“The ability for guys to be able to step up, not so much mimic those guys who have le , but just to provide them an opportunity and a pathway for them to be really credible performers for the ’Pies is really important.
“There’s a blanket of guys coming through the under 18s program and
the ‘Bushies program who t that pro le from 17 to 23 who are going to get considerable opportunity to play quite a bit of senior footy.
“We’re really embracing the home-grown product and we’ve been able to put a few guys in around them who should be able to assist us as well.”
■ Continued page 31