Wangaratta Chronicle 281022

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28 October 2022

Hello,

Flood Waste Waivers

If you have been affected by the recent flood event you are able to dispose of your flood waste without cost.

Applications for waste disposal waivers can be made by:

• Lodging a General Request online at www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Services/Reportor-request

• Forwarding an email to council@wangaratta.vic.gov.au

• Calling our Waste Team on 03 5722 0722

Flood waste disposal waivers are available and valid until 31 December 2022.

We are facing another challenging time with the flood event of last week continuing to impact manyresidents, particularly those on waterways and in rural areas of our municipality.

You may see Council staff in loud shirts

it’s a conversation starter.

Council has been working to support the emergency service response to this event. An evacuationcentre was established for people and their pets displaced by flood waters, and we are working toclear and repair damaged roads, bridges, paths and parks.

We are thrilled to partner with TradeMutt to start the conversation about mental health at work and in the community.

Kiwanis Park

Australia Day Nominations

If you can think of a person, a group or an event that deserve recognition of their great contribution to our community, nominate them for an Australia Day award!

Information sharing at this time is really important and I thank the community for reaching out toCouncil whether it be with concerns about livestock, fallen trees, or water over roads.

Here are some of our Grit and Resilience Program team spending a moment to have a conversation about mental health and wellbeing, and we would like you to join in too.

Rural City of Wangaratta is looking to subdivide and sell part of the land in Kiwanis Park area, and to use the proceeds of sale to develop the Bindall Avenue Reserve. This will include the installation of a new playspace, improvements to pathways, parking, shade and amenities, and improvements to the oval.

Please continue to communicate any concerns or issues with us. You can do this via our website,https://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Services/Report or request or please call Customer Service on 035722 0888.

Nominations are open until 4pm on Friday 4 November 2022 and can be made at https://www.wangaratta. vic.gov.au/Residents/Events/Australia-Day-Awards2023-Nominations

Start a conversation about mental health and wellbeing in your workplace, with your friends and with your family. If you want to get really loud grab a TradeMutt shirt for yourself with a crazy 20% discount using the code CITYOFWANGARATTA20 at https://bit.ly/3DnnUzk

Rezoning of the land for residential purposes will have to occur prior to any subdivision and sale of land.

If you would like to speak to the Councillor of your ward, we are only too happy for you to reach out, all of our details are below.

Before Council proceeds to subdivide and sell the land we are seeking feedback from the community.

Mental health is a conversation for everyone.

Status: Council is gathering feedback from the community until 18 November 2022

Land included: 34-42 Mather Street Wangaratta, known as Kiwanis Park, and land at Bindall Avenue known as Bindall Avenue Reserve

To assist with the flood clean up Rural City of Wangaratta are issuing flood fee waivers for wastedisposal at all four transfer stations across the municipality: Wangaratta, Markwood, Moyhu andEldorado. Applications for waste disposal waivers can be made by lodging a request online atwww.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Services/Report or request, forwarding an email tocouncil@wangaratta.vic.gov.au, or calling our Waste Team on 03 5722 0722.

There is also support available from the federal and state governments.

To view the proposed plans and have your say please go to: https://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/ Development/Our-projects/Kiwanis-Park-andBindall-Avenue-Reserve

The Australian Government has made disaster recovery funding available for our municipality. Someresidents will be eligible for Disaster Assistance Payments and applications can be made throughyour Services Australia myGov account or call 180 22 66.

The Victorian Government has a Flood Recovery Hotline 1800 560 760 to register for clean up of yourflood affected property, for financial assistance, temporary accommodation, or mental health andwellbeing support. Through Agriculture Victoria there are a range of assistance measures for farmers,please visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au or call 136 186 for more information.

Glenrowan Lions Park closed for works

Glenrowan Lions Park is closed to the public. This

the BBQ

playground. The temporary

remain open. The Park will reopen

works in late November.

Council Officers are here to assist and support you, as are all Councillors. Make contact, have a chat,and lets work through this together. If you are having a tough time seek help, call the Rural Financia lCounselling Service 1300 771 741, Lifeline on 131 114, or Beyondblue 1300 224 636.The most important message I would like to relay to everyone in the community is that you are notaloneandit’soktoaskforhelp.TheRuralCityofWangarattaisagreatcommunitythatI’mproudtobe a part of.

Dean Rees

Rural City of Wangaratta Mayor

WELCOME TO OUR SCHOOL

$11.7m pledge

AN $11.7 million upgrade to Wangaratta High School is among education funding pledged by the State Government if it wins reelection next month.

Premier Daniel Andrews announced this week that Labor would commit to delivering new and upgraded schools across Victoria if re-elected, through a planned $1.6 billion school and kinder package.

While there is little detail

Pre-election funding announcement for high school ggpgupgrade

BY SIMONE KERWIN skerwin@ nemedia.com.au

available as to exactly what the funding would cover at the high school, the $11.7 million figure was confirmed by Education Minister Natalie Hutchins’ office.

It’s believed the school

has a final development stage planned, which could be the focus of the promised funding.

Wangaratta High School principal Dave Armstrong welcomed the prospect of an $11.7 million upgrade.

“As Wangaratta’s public secondary school, we are very excited by any investment in our infrastructure by any future government,” he said.

“Anything that allows us to serve our students well is great for our school community and for the city.”

The Wangaratta High School pledge is part of the $850 million in school upgrades Labor has promised to fund, for 89 primary and secondary schools across the state, if re-elected.

It has also pledged

$25 million in planning funding to deliver the remaining 25 of 100 new schools it plans to have built by 2026.

Wherever possible, Labor also plans to build new kindergartens alongside schools, as a means to ease the drop-off routine for families.

“We want every Victorian child to have the best start in life - but you can’t get

a first-rate education in a second-rate classroom,”

Premier Andrews said.

“That’s why we’re delivering great local schools for every Victorian family.”

Minister Hutchins said the government was proud of its record in building and upgrading Victoria’s schools.

“If we’re re-elected, we’ll keep working hard to make sure every family has access to a great local school,” she said.

WANGARATTA High School students Zoe Baguley, Gracie York and Swaye Schroeder are looking forward to seeing the school operate as the blues venue for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues this weekend. Full story page 3.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

Contemporary Textile award receives major prize boost

FINANCIAL support from new project partner the Kyamba Foundation will see the Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award increase the prize money for its winner from $10,000 to $40,000 as it celebrates its eighth iteration in 2023.

The biennial award has been presented by Wangaratta Art Gallery since 2009.

The award holds a vision and commitment towards the advancement and growth of contemporary textiles.

It is an acquisitive award that embodies the current state of play for contemporary textile practice in Australia.

Gallery director, Simone Nolan said the Wangaratta Art Gallery is delighted to announce local Wangaratta based Kyamba Foundation as the project partner for the award for 2023 and 2025.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Kyamba Foundation to deliver an award that is now well on the way

to becoming the equivalent of a one-year living wage for an artist of excellence,” she said.

“The acquisitive prize money has remained at $10,000 since 2013.

“This commitment and

financial investment from the Kyamba Foundation will help the award to grow and remain relevant to the artists we want to attract within the contemporary textile sector.”

Cynthia Brown from the

Melbourne Cup Day races primed for a terrific day

By WILLSON MACK

THE Wangaratta Turf Club is primed for a massive day of racing on Tuesday.

The club will be hosting a six race card for their Melbourne Cup Day races, consisting of three maidens, two benchmark 52s and a benchmark 56 graded race.

Plenty of entertainment will also be on show with Glenn Starr Music and Jade Gibson performing on-site, while there will be a kids entertainment zone, along with the usual race day activities including fashions on the field.

“It should be a great day,” Wangaratta Turf Club chief executive officer Sean Barrett said.

“These races are one of the biggest and brightest events in Wangaratta so we’re looking forward to finally hosting it again after a few years off.”

Fashions on thefField is set to be a massive hit with many sponsors jumping on board to give away different prizes.

Gloss Beauty and Make-up will be awarding first prize to the Best Dressed Filly, which will be a full spray tan, lashes and make-up package valued at $400.

For the Best Dressed Man/ Colt, Judds Men will continue their partnership with the turf club.

Skinsational Cosmetic Nursing are also giving $650 worth of skin treatments and LED therapy.

Judging for Fashions on the Field will kick-off after race two.

General admission tickets are selling for $25 and can be purchased online or at the gate.

For more details go to the Wangaratta Turf Club website.

Race fields and a cup preview will be in Monday’s edition of the Wangaratta Chronicle.

Kyamba Foundation said their support will guarantee that Wangaratta remains known as the textile capital of Australia.

“It was in desperate need of growing its financial support and our foundation is

delighted to commit to this partnership,” she said.

The prize money amount is guided by the National Association of Visual Arts (NAVA) standards, where the prize money should reflect the time, status, and career

development of the desired artists in which the award is aimed towards.

Rural City of Wangaratta Mayor, Cr Dean Rees, said increasing the award amount to $40,000 is a big deal for Wangaratta.

“Wangaratta has a long and prominent history of textiles in manufacturing and as a craft form,” he said.

“Wangaratta Art Gallery builds upon this unique tradition by presenting this outstanding award.

“This award holds the reputation of promoting national contributions of excellence from Australian contemporary textile practitioners.

“We are very grateful to the Kyamba Foundation for their support which will ensure the award’s continued success.”

The 2023 Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award will call for entries from November 25, 2022, and entries will close on March 3, 2023 at 5pm AEDT.

Blues at Baileys on Monday

IF you’ve enjoyed a weekend of jazz and blues, why not continue it at Baileys of Glenrowan on Monday, with the free Blues @ Baileys event.

Running for the first time since 2019, the event will see Fiona Boyes perform solo at the winery from 12 noon to 3.30pm.

The blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter is visiting the rural city for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, and is looking forward to continuing the party for music-lovers on Monday.

If the weather is fine, Fiona will perform outdoors, but there is plenty of room inside in case of rain.

For more information about Blues @ Baileys, contact the cellar door on 5766 1600.

BIG PRIZE UP FOR GRABS: Simone Nolan (Art Gallery director), Cynthia Brown, Jude Brown, John Brown (Kyamba Foundation board members) and Cr Dean Rees in front of last year’s winning textile art by Gillian Bencke, as $40,000 is now up for grabs for the winner in 2023.

PHOTO: Bailey Zimmermann

TESTING TIMES: Exams were under way this week for year 12 students across Wangaratta’s secondary schools. While VCE performance and oral language exams had been undertaken in previous weeks, Wednesday’s three-hour English exam was the first for most students. The exam period continues until November 16. Pictured are Galen Catholic College students (from left) Jessica Jordan, Jessica Peacock and Nadia Raschke giving the thumbs-up to completing the English exam.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

It’s festival time again

THE stage is set for the return of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues to a live event this weekend - the first time in four years performers and music-lovers will fill the city for the weekend.

After a hiatus in 2019 to plan for its future sustainability, the festival was to return with a delayed celebration of its 30th anniversary in 2020, before COVID-19 restrictions limited it to an online event that year and forced organisers to run only the National Jazz Awards online in 2021.

Concerns about the use of Merriwa Park following a fallen tree a month ago prompted the jazz board to abandon it as an outdoor venue, allowing the Wangaratta High School performing arts centre to come on board as the blues venue for the three day event, which kicks off this evening.

The Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre theatre will serve as the community stage on Sunday, offering an enticing variety of free performances.

Scott Solimo, the festival’s co-artistic director and Wangaratta High School music teacher, said all was in readiness for the event, with the reconfigured venue arrangements expected to highlight a quality program.

“I think the school being the new blues venue will be great, and we’re getting a lot of positive feedback,” he said.

“We hope it’s going to be an ongoing venue for us.

“It’s a great chance to showcase the school and what it offers, and the beauty of the venue is that everything is here and ready to go - there are green rooms, all the amenities, and with fencing and lighting, it will be a great place to be.

“It also offers students the opportunity to see the set-up happening and to be part of it.”

Wangaratta High School student Swaye Schroeder agreed: “It gives people a good view of how great a music program we have here, and it will also be great encouragement for young

NATIONALS

BY SIMONE KERWIN skerwin@ nemedia.com.au

students to pursue music.”

Mr Solimo encouraged locals to join the eager jazz and blues fans set to visit the rural city this weekend, by soaking up all that’s on offer, including snapping up a $55 ticket to see the new blues base in action tonight.

Elsewhere tonight, the WPACC, Holy Trinity Cathedral and recently-renovated Bulls Head Hotel will host performances, while on Saturday, those venues, as well as the high school and Wangaratta RSL will serve as bases for all the festival action.

The finals of the National Jazz Awards, featuring guitar, will be held on Saturday afternoon at the WPACC Hall, with presentation expected at around 5pm.

On Sunday, locals can enjoy the offerings of the free community stage at the WPACC theatre, which will run from 10am to 6.30pm, featuring both local performers and seasoned professionals.

There will be something for everyone, from Cathedral College and Wangaratta High School performers to Ali McGregor’s Jazzamatazz for kids and families, the Michelle Nicholle Quartet, Dan Barnett and Jazzaratta, and the Public Opinion Afro Orchestra.

At 4pm, audiences will see the culmination of this year’s community project, with local musicians marching into the WPACC to perform with Melbourne band Horns of Leroy.

Across the road on Sunday, Rebecca Barnard will perform at the always popular Jazz Mass at Holy Trinity Cathedral with Tim Neal, as he plays the Willis pipe organ, for which the Wangaratta community helped raise more than $100,000 after the discovery of damage to the historic instrument caused by rats.

Mr Solimo said artists

Return stirs up musical memories for Rebecca

By SIMONE KERWIN

JAZZ forms part of Rebecca Barnard’s DNA, having grown up in a house enveloped in music thanks to her father, Len.

The Melbourne-based singer will pay tribute to the music of her drummer Dad and trumpet-playing Uncle Bob, both beloved Australian jazz performers, when she visits Wangaratta this weekend.

Rebecca will also perform, alongside Tim Neal, at the Jazz Mass at Holy Trinity Cathedral on Sunday, and like all artists on the program, is looking forward to the chance to return to the rural city - to take the stage but also to gather with other musicians.

“I have played once in Wangaratta, but I have been quite a few times, and I saw Dad and Uncle Bob play

would begin arriving this afternoon in anticipation of the festival atmosphere they relish while in Wangaratta.

“Most festivals are one stage and one venue; here, they get to move between venues and watch others perform, and they love the way it feels like a community,” he said.

For more information about the festival and to see the full program, visit www. wangarattajazz.com

there in the ‘90s,” she said.

“The ‘Wang hang’ is something every musician looks forward to, just to catch up and to see each other play.

“The music community in Victoria is really tight and supportive - we’ve got something special here.”

Rebecca’s Saturday evening tribute to Len and Bob will be at Murphy Street’s Bulls Head Hotel.

“I’ll be playing the music they introduced me to; I’m so lucky to have had that education, which didn’t make me feel pressured to play, it just made me love the music,” she said.

“Some of the songs in the set are those I performed with them, and there are others that I didn’t perform with them, but I wouldn’t have known if they didn’t introduce me to them.”

Rebecca said the show illustrated the “cellular effect” music could

THE Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre theatre will serve as the community stage for the festival on Sunday, running from 10am to 6.30pm, with free entry.

Taking over from Merriwa Park as the community centre of the event, the venue will first welcome Cathedral College to the stage from 10.15am, followed by the Wangaratta High School Sol-Cats at 11.15am.

Renowned singer and producer Ali McGregor will entertain young music fans and their families from 12.15pm with her Jazzamatazz

have, as preparations for it had brought back a wave of memories.

Belting out Gospel numbers in the cathedral on Sunday morning will also be a highlight of her stay in Wangaratta, but Rebecca said she was keen to catch as many shows as possible while she was in the city.

“I have a list, including Swing Rocket; I’ll hopefully get in to see Mike Nock; and there are a few things I want to see after the Mass on Sunday. It’s a great line-up, they’ve programmed it really well,” she said.

“It would be great for locals to get out and see as much as they can; for artists and visitors, it’s great to meet local people, because it makes you think, ‘I really want to come back here’.

“Even if you don’t know jazz, you’ll tap your toes.”

show, and the Michelle Nicholle Quartet will perform from 1.30pm.

The schedule continues at 2.45pm with Dan Barnett and Jazzaratta, followed by the longawaited Horns of Leroy community project at 4pm, and then the Public Opinion Afro Orchestra from 5.15pm.

Events on Sunday, including Jazz Mass at Holy Trinity Cathedral from 10am, and others at the Wangaratta RSL, The Vine Hotel and Milawa Cheese Factory are also free to attend, depending on capacity.

EXCITED: Rebecca Barnard is scheduled for two performances during the festival, and is looking forward to catching others while in Wangaratta.

Free community stage to serve it up on Sunday

Senator McKenzie slams regional cuts in budget

popular program which supports projects in rural and regional communities to create jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger regional and remote communities into the future.

said.

The Wodonga-based Senator said the BBRF was a highly

The fund has provided tens of millions of dollars for projects across the North East over recent years, including $4.4m for Wangaratta’s aquatic centre redevelopment and over $2m for developments at the Wangaratta Turf Club.

“The Labor Government continues to prosecute the mistruth that regional funding projects are a waste when these projects actually deliver social and economic benefits to local communities and our nation as a whole,” Senator McKenzie said.

“The BBRF has delivered in spades for regional Victoria and it is shocking that Labor has axed this highly successful program which has transformed lives and livelihoods.

“This is nothing short of political bastardry and demonstrates, once again, that Labor could not care less about regional communities.

“Victorian federal Labor MPs Richard Marles, Libby Coker, Lisa Chesters, Sam Rae and particularly the responsible minister, Catherine King, should hang their heads in shame.

“After the Albanese Government’s decision to provide $2.2 billion for the

disastrous suburban rail loop in Melbourne, nearly 90 per cent of the Victorian infrastructure spend in Labor’s budget, the axing of the BBRF is another kick in the guts for regional Victorians.

“It becomes clearer every day to us that creating jobs, driving economic growth and building stronger regional and rural communities into the future is not a priority for the Labor Government.”

Haines welcomes funding retention...

BY SHANE DOUTHIE sdouthie@ nemedia.com.au

INDEPENDENT Indi federal MP Helen Haines has welcomed this week’s federal budget’s retention of previously announced funding for important local projects she had advocated for.

This included the $80 million in federal funding promised to the Albury Wodonga Regional Deal and $9.8 million for road upgrades in Mansfield, promised by the former government.

“During the election, crucial projects were promised to Indi by the former government, and through my discussions with new Infrastructure Minister Catherine King I have been able to ensure they are still delivered,” Dr Haines said.

“The Albury Wodonga Regional Deal was announced by the last government but never appropriated and could have ended up on the chopping block, but I made sure that funding continued.”

But Dr Haines said the budget fell short when it came to funding for a new hospital on the border.

“We know the Federal Government does contribute to building hospitals, but we need the Victorian Government to stand up and make sure the NSW and federal governments can also come to the table and deliver a world class, single site hospital on the border,” she said.

She also criticised the government for the lack of new funding for roads, especially in the aftermath of the floods experienced across the North East.

Two new funding streams have been announced for regional Australia, including the Growing Regions Program, which will provide new opportunities for regional local councils and not-for-profit organisations through an annual open, competitive grants process.

A new regional Precincts and Partnerships Program will be a new funding mechanism for larger-scale projects to transform a place to benefit communities in regional cities and wider rural and regional Australia.

“I look forward to speaking more with Infrastructure Minister Catherine King about how Indi can benefit from this fund,” she said.

DR HAINES ALSO WELCOMED:

- Funding for the National Anti-Corruption Commission at $262 million over the next four years.

- The Housing Accord, an agreement between all levels of government, institutional investors, and the construction sector to address housing supply with the goal to build one million new homes over five years from 2024, including in regional areas.

- Commitment to regional community energy projects, including 400 community batteries for household solar to assist up to 100,000 households.

- New programs to support 10,000 people to complete a New Energy Apprenticeship.

- Significant funding for improving phone and internet coverage, including $400 million for improving mobile reception, $200 million for further rounds of the Regional Connectivity Program and $30 million for farmers to improve connectivity on their properties.

- A $185 million program to increase the rural health workforce, including incentives to attract, retain and support doctors and allied health professionals.

- A commitment of $22.6 million over four years to start tackling skyrocketing insurance premiums for protection against natural disasters.

- Rebadging the Disaster Ready Fund which promised up to $1 billion over four years to mitigate disaster loss and damage.

- $50 million TAFE Technology Fund to modernise IT infrastructure, workshops, laboratories, telehealth simulators, and other facilities.

- Expansion of the aged care skills pilot programs under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme to deliver 500 additional aged care workers under the PALM scheme in 2023.

Dr Haines slammed the government for reducing the amount of money available through the new funds compared to previous regional development funds, instead funding election promises through closed grant programs.

“The bulk of new regional funding is confined to closed grants programs which will be used to fund Labor’s election promises,” she said.

“Labor criticised the previous government for similar non-com-

petitive grant processes and has talked a big game on bringing integrity and transparency to funding for the regions.

“It’s not good enough to just do the same thing again.”

Dr Haines said despite the billions of dollars earned from commodity exports providing some relief for the budget, the switch to renewables was also proving itself a benefit already.

“The move to renewables is already a boon for the Australian economy, and has the potential to be an even bigger part of the economy, especially for regional Australia,” she said.

Dr Haines expressed disappointment though at the lack of direct relief for household rising living costs.

“I have been calling for the Federal Government to undertake a number of measures to reduce the pressure households are under when it comes to electricity bills, including no-interest loans for low income families to replace expensive gas appliances with more efficient electric versions, solar panels and home batteries,” she said.

“The government should also expand the existing Small Scale Renewable Energy scheme to include household batteries.”

BUDGET BRIEFLY: Independent MP for Indi Helen Haines welcomed many aspects of the Labor Government’s federal budget.

Celebrating 150 years

NHW invites the community to a very special event to help mark the occasionyypp

COMMUNITY members are invited to help Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) celebrate its 150th anniversary Wednesday, December 7 at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre (WPACC) from 10am - 2pm.

This year marks 150 years since our hospital opened on the Green Street site NHW currently occupies.

The theme of the event is “Building on healthy foundations”, offering an opportunity for community members to get a glimpse into the past, present and future of the health service.

NHW chief executive officer Libby Fifis said after two and a half years of restricted entry and emergency response to COVID-19, the event was a chance for NHW to re-engage with the community.

“We are delighted that Dr Helen Haines MP, Independent Federal Member for Indi will be our guest at the event and will be reflecting on her connection as a past nurse and midwife at NHW over many years,” Ms Fifis said.

As well as several interactive displays, there will

also be a “gratitude wall” for staff and community members to post messages of thanks, and the much loved Friends of the Hospital will be selling their much loved Christmas puddings and other delights.

“We’re showcasing the role NHW has played, and continues to play in the community,” Ms Fifis said.

“To do that we will be displaying items from the past, running several interactive displays and really taking that chance to engage with community members interested in NHW.”

School groups and job seekers will be encouraged to attend, with the event offering a chance to talk to staff from areas of the hospital including support services, nursing and Allied Health, while NHW’s recruitment team will also be on hand to talk about how to join our “talent community” in order to be considered for future roles.

“If you’re passing by the WPACC on Wednesday, December 7, please pop in and say hello,” Ms Fifis said.

The event is free to attend.

CELEBRATING HISTORY: Jodie Talbot (NHW Projects and Engagement Officer People and Culture), Yvonne Gibson (NHW Freedom of Information Officer).and NHW CEO Libby Fifis checked out some of the historical artefacts that will be on display for the hospital’s 150th celebrations on December 7.

INSET: LOOKING BACK: NHW CEO Libby Fifis looks over an old medical register found among the historichospital artefacts.

PHOTOS: Kurt Hickling

Golf estate townhouses all set for Fairway Drive

Developers successfully appeal council decision to refuse five terracespypp

By STEVE KELLY

FIVE townhouses will be built along Fairway Drive adjacent to Wangaratta Golf Course featuring altered architecture after previously being rejected by a majority of Rural City of Wangaratta councillors earlier this year.

The proposed building received 14 objections and it was voted against in a 4-2 vote by councillors despite council planning officers recommending its approval as it ticked all planning requirement boxes.

Councillors’ grounds for refusal generally related to the proposal being inconsistent with the neighbourhood character of the area including bulk and scale, while some objectors cited inadequate visitor parking among other potential issues.

Three main anomalies, in council’s view, was the development has a lack of spacing between buildings, a lack of activation on the western façade as it fronts Wangaratta-Yarrawonga Road, and the edge of town location was at odds with the medium density nature of the terraces.

Farello Developments Pty Ltd offered alternative plans including a more modern, architecturally designed façade instead of a heritage look, however this did not appease councillors.

The applicants appealed coun-

cil’s decision to refuse the permit at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and following a hearing and decision this month have been given the green light to build the townhouses.

Farello Developments director Mario Antonello said they changed the exterior of the plans from the original application to look a lot more modern and in balance with several of the other homes built in Fairway Drive, stemming from the advice of a town planning expert.

All dwellings will have adjoining walls but the exterior of the buildings will now include different rooflines, with terraces two and four featuring a peaked roof and one, three and five a flat roof which Mr Antonello believes makes the terraces look individual.

“As you drive into the entrance you’ll see we wanted something that was going to look grand and really nice for living near a course,” Mr Antonello explained.

“There is a lot more differential in the cladding with bricks, render, panel board, weather board style cladding and glass balustrades.”

Mr Antonello was disappointed when a majority of councillors voted against the development in April, however, he now views the subsequent process as something that will make the terraces better.

“We’re happier with the revised plans and the result as I’m sure a lot of residents will be in there as well,” he said.

VCAT member Christopher Harty, in setting aside council’s previous decision and granting the permit said, “Although it is of an attached form and double storey, I note there is already double storey built form present in the local neighbourhood”.

“The landscaping plan includes a

generous planting including canopy trees with replacement of visitor parking space with additional open area,” Mr Harty said.

“I am comfortable with the reduction of the visitor parking space; I do not consider it will result in undue traffic safety issues.

“Parking is available across Fairway Drive with the golf course parking and there is also available onstreet parking along the frontages of the site.”

Police commence cup weekend operation

POLICE have urged motorists to take care on regional roads this long weekend, after substantial recent rainfall left a number of North East thoroughfares rife with potholes.

As part of Operation Furlong, additional police took to the roads from 12:01 this morning, with the statewide operation focusing on enforcing speeding and unsafe road behaviour through to 11:59pm on Tuesday.

November and December historically front as high-risk periods for motorists, with the same timeframe claiming the lives of 48 motorists in 61 days last year.

So far this year 205 lives have been lost on Victorian roads -24 higher than the same time last year and well above the five-year average of 188.

Highway Patrol members last week intercepted a Grovedale woman’s vehicle at a breath test site near Oxley, where the woman allegedly returned a positive alcohol sample more than three times the legal limit.

Her alleged result of 0.172 saw her licence immediately suspended, and she will be expected to face Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on drink drive and traffic related charges in the coming months.

NEW LOOK: Elevation drawings of how the development at 8 Fairway Drive will look after being approved by VCAT.

A cautious budget for cautious times

IT may have been a bread and butter budget with few major giveaways, no new tax cuts, or promises of good times ahead, but it‘s what this country needed at this time.

Australia has been living beyond its means for decades, saved repeatedly by upsurges in commodity prices and record low interest rates worldwide with only unforeseen global crises such as the GFC, COVID–19 pandemic and now Russia‘s brutal invasion of Ukraine spoiling the party.

The latter two have proved the final straw and with the massive rise in world energy prices caused by Russia‘s warmongering and our own willingness to pass our energy resources, particularly gas, into the hands of corporations sealing profits on the international market, we are all paying the price.

Whatever way you look at it, this government inherited almost a trillion dollars in debt with tens of billions of dollars of further tax cuts legislated to come in a few years and to continue with pre–crisis commitments in the face of such a perfect economic storm would have been ignorant at best, treasonable at worst.

If ever there was a time for governments, as well as households and individuals, to tighten their belts it‘s now, at least until interest rates settle and the worldwide energy market sorts itself out.

And that also means for renewable energy to be fast–tracked to play an even more dominant role after a decade of being hamstrung by the previous government.

The Rudd and Morrison governments were able to face the challenges of their respective crises (GFC and COVID–19) by throwing massive amounts of our money at the problem, but with rising interest rates that‘s impossible.

Reality bites sometimes.

FACEBOOK users this week commented on our web poll, which asked ‘do you want a return to State Government-owned energy companies?’

• Charles Branstom: The State has gone backwards since Kennett privatized everything he could. The mostly foreign private companies made millions and the State and us people paid the price,

• Starsky Hutch: Yes most definitely Then we will have

the government to blame for higher electricity bills.

Facebook users also commented on Wangaratta soccer prodigy Poppy O’Keeffe, after the 14-year-old was selected for a provisional 30-person Junior Matildas squad, and then upgraded to a final 24-player squad.

• Colleen Perry Heyden: Wow! That’s awesome!

• Amber Vincent: New you could do this x congratulations superstar

Disappointed in Nauru detention centre call

I FIND it incredulous that a controversial US private prisons operator, Management and Training Corporation (MTC), has been awarded a $47.3 million contract to run offshore detention on Nauru for just two months, with the number of people to be managed, amounting to approximately 100.

The scope of work required under this new contract is significantly reduced from previous requirements, including a cut in welfare services for refugees in the community.

In selecting from applicants, the government must surely have been aware that MTC has been accused of “gross negligence” and “egregious” security failures in the US and is before the courts over allegations of unlawful solitary confinement.

And if it wasn’t aware of these details, one must ask, why not?

I mean it is quite common knowledge that private prison contractors, especially in the US, are notorious for placing profit before the welfare of prisoners.

While I commend the government for taking strong action against the previous government’s profligate spending, by reversing those decisions, I do however, seriously question why it chooses to operate at the same level in this situation?

This is an outrageous amount of public money being spent to line the pockets of a company that has serious moral questions to answer for.

It is also of interest to learn that the application from a competitor (Canstruct) was rejected even though it offered a significantly reduced quote.

Finally, Australia has been shamed enough by its treatment of refugees and asylum seekers over many years, not to mention being instrumental in destroying the lives of countless numbers of them.

Surely it is time for a Labor government to reverse that, in the name of justice and humanity, and allow them to come to Australia.

A much cheaper option on all fronts, I would suggest.

• Hayley Currie: Oh wowzers you are super incredible young lady ox

• RaRa Dee: Go Poppy! You got this girl! Congratulations! Facebook users also commented on their favourite memories of Wangaratta’s Jazz and Blues Festival.

• Margaret Newton: People, music, food vans in the public spaces.. ie Merriwa Park, Ford St, Reid St, Faithful St..great vibes, not all change is good

Have

• Pam Gregory: Margaret Newton agree! Was an amazing atmosphere.

• Timothy Thompson Simpson: Oompa band at the Pino.

• Edwards Page: Blues at the royal vic hotel Facebook users also commetned on Wangaratta local Ross Hill, who completed an 18-hour endurance bike ride to raise awareness around suicide prevention.

• Ben Kneebone: Legend

I WENT to the council meeting on Tuesday this week and asked if Wangaratta council could help with 50 per cent of the cost for eligible cardholders for the

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

desexing of their cats and dogs and free vaccinations for puppies, which is what Wodonga council does.

It would help prevent a lot of unnecessary sadness.

One breedable female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 kittens in seven years; one sterilised female cat and everything changes, no kittens.

One male cat can impregnate so many female cats and we then have kittens having kittens.

This is close to my heart and so sad for the ones who survive so please get your pets desexed.

I am hoping Wangaratta council will do something to help these beautiful animals.

It is not their fault, it’s irresponsible people who don’t get them desexed.

Sit with animals quietly and they will show you their hearts.

Sit with them kindly and they will help you locate yours.

Don’t breed or buy, while homeless die.

Maree Parkinson, Wangaratta

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

Post Letters to the Editor, 37 Rowan St, Wangaratta 3677

CHEERS TO THAT: Belinda and Mark Sorrensen from Wangaratta’s Bulls Head Hotel toast their national television appearance on ‘Kitchen Nightmares’, which screened across Australia on Wednesday night. See Monday’s edition of the Wangaratta Chronicle to hear their thoughts on the response to the show.

Rae Quigley, Wangaratta Council asked to help subsidise pet cost

Should the Federal Budget have included more measures to address rising household cost of living pressures?

FACEBOOK users this week

on the announcement from Nationals MP Tim McCurdy that an elected Coalition government will spend $7 million to find a new greenfield site which would see a new hospital and health precinct in Wangaratta.

• Viviane King: Another pearl of wisdom from our local member mere weeks before the election. Tim McCurdy MP if you are re-elected, please share

wisdom with us throughout the parliamentary term

• Tim McCurdy MP: Viviane King you may not be interested in a new Hospital for Wangaratta in the future but plenty of others are very keen. Let’s hope your friend Daniel Andrews can match our vision.

• Viviane King: Tim McCurdy MP interesting way to canvas for votes! If you do get a new hospital for the area, I hope it has plenty of dermatologists who can help with your thin skin. As you have no idea how I

vote, I’ll give you a clue - I like my politicians to have a brain.

• Belinda Humphreys: With the influx of mums having their babies at Wangaratta now that a lot of smaller town hospitals are no longer taking them I’m glad to read this and I hope it means more beds in maternity

• Alli Baker: No good adding onto an already under staffed workplace Facebook users also commented on the soaked Milawa cricket pitch which had become flooded

during the week due to the persistent rainfall.

• Tonino Mastroianni: Definitely bowl first lol

• Matt Ryan: Tonino Mastroianni when batting do your pads go under or over the gum boots?

• Alex Thompson: Nic Bonwick you bowled me out there

• Nic Bonwick: Alex Thompson not hard with the gap between your bat and pad.

• Marlene Lamond: Maybe water skiing.

Like the

TWITTER users this week tweeted about their sympathetic thoughts for those suffering from floods, the Wanagaratta restaurant which featured on Channel 7’s Kitchen Nightmares Wednesday night and throwing support behind Wangaratta Magpies star Joe Richards who attended the AFL Draft Combine.

Dona McQueen @DonaMcqueen

I’ve been seriously radar watching all weekend and feeling lucky that here in Wangaratta we have had most of the rain slide down west of us. Feeling for those in trouble

Miss Natski @Natski82

Everybody needs good neighbours and we have many good neighbours in Indi!

It was great to meet with @sambirrellmp in my office in Parliament this week - Sam is the Member for Nicholls, elected at the most recent election.

Check out some of our best photos at

@wangchronicle

account.

I love a good, dramatic throwing hands in the air and storming out #KitchenNightmaresAU

Di_Burrowes@di_burrowes73

Joe plays for Wangaratta magpies (the team Ben Reid plays for & coaches), he’s a gun & Wangaratta won the premiership this year..

If you have something to say, add our handle @wangchronicle to your tweet and we will publish some each week.

Our follower total is

Tweet

If anyone sees our driveway in Wangaratta, can you please drop it back to us?

Simon Evans @Se77Evans

helenhainesindi

Town sign the wrong shade of yellow

By STEVE KELLY

NEW town signs have added a splash of colour, greeting people at the entrance of the Rural City of Wangaratta’s towns, but at least one of them is the wrong shade of yellow.

Public feedback on social media last week greatly revolved around the lack of contrast on the Tarrawingee sign but council mayor Dean Rees has confirmed it will be repainted in a ‘mustard yellow’.

He’s explained that the town signs are all differently coloured and they are a modernisation of the old signs which greet people at the entrance to each town.

The change of signage is in the long-term financial plan and part of the overall rebranding strategy and they cost between $250k and $300k.

“Councillors discussed in a meeting this week that the yellow was not correct on the signage; it’s the wrong coloured yellow and that is being rectified at Tarrawingee and other locations,” he said.

“It’s the wrong yellow, it’s too bright, it’s glary and it’s not fit for purpose, but the old signs were old fashioned that have been up for 1520 years and it was in our marketing budget to change them.”

Cr Rees said council decided to do away with the iconography for each

town which was an idea touted during council’s consultation period in 2019.

It was suggested that icons could pair well with towns like Ned Kelly’s helmet for Glenrowan or a bunch of grapes for Whitfield, but this element was not adopted.

“Some of the iconography wasn’t clear as to what it was supposed to resemble so we thought the ultimate way around this was to make it plain, simple with clean lines where you don’t have to try and decipher what it meant,” Cr Rees said.

The “Ultimate in Liveability” used to be the slogan for the rural city, but this has been removed from signs on the entrance to major arterial roads

THEY’RE NOT ALL YELLOW: The sign at Tarriwingee was meant to be painted a mustard yellow.

RECOGNISABLE: The Wangaratta town sign uses the same shape and imagaery used a lot throughout the Rural City of Wangaratta’s helping people identify the brand.

into the wider municipality - instead it reads Welcome to the Rural City of Wangaratta.

“We kept the logo which is what most people wanted to see on all of our signage.”

Cr Rees said council carried out consultation on the signage by offering major local groups, and also visitors outside of Melbourne a choice of different designs, and the final chosen design was the most appealing.

Back in 2019 council introduced two alternate logos that were never adopted, one being a ‘W’ which was a meant to resemble the Ovens and King rivers, and a second draft logo was also intended to depict the two rivers, this

time in the shape of a cormorant bird.

After consultation it was decided to retain the existing cormorant logo, however, modernise its use with removal of some of the colours within the design.

Consultation was carried out from August to December 2019 on a potential logo change and signage with stakeholder groups such as council advisory committees covering areas of agriculture and agribusiness; arts, culture and heritage; and economic development and tourism.

Business Wangaratta Chamber of Commerce Inc, youth council, and Indigenous stakeholders were also consulted.

Pool party to get into the spirit of Halloween

A NUMBER of houses around Wangaratta are taking on a spooky feel, with decorations being added in the lead-up to Halloween on Monday. Celebration of the annual event has been growing in Australia, and across the rural city, in recent years, and it’s no longer unusual to see costumed locals in the streets on October 31.

For those keen to get into the spirit of the event, the Wangaratta Sports and Aquatic Centre will host a Halloween-themed pool party on Sunday from 2pm to 5pm.

Designed for young people aged 12 to 25, the pool party is free, with drinks and snacks provided, and will include a DJ performance and pool inflatables available for use.

The event is being hosted by WSAC, the Wangaratta Grit and Resilience Program, and the Rural City of Wangaratta’s youth services, as part of the Involve! Youth Health and Wellbeing Series.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

New city, town entrances modernised with colour but not everyone’s happyy, y ’ ppy

Broomhead named master of the lodge

By ROGER PORTER

THE Wangaratta Lodge of St John held its annual installation night and banquet last Saturday and the master of the lodge for the 2022-2023 year is Ken Broomhead.

Mr Broomhead was installed by the acting grand master of Freemasons Victoria, Tony Bucca, together with the 2022 grand lodge ceremonial team.

At the dinner following the installation, 74 Freemasons and their partners had an enjoyable night.

A highlight of the evening was Mr Bucca’s announcement that the United Grand lodge of Victoria and the Freemasons Foundation will make a $700,000 donation to assist victims of the recent Victorian Flooding events.

The Wangaratta Lodge of St John was established in 1872 and on December 3 this year members will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first meeting of the lodge.

A re-consecration ceremony will be held, followed by the unveiling of the original foundation stone from the old Masonic Centre in Ovens Street.

A banquet dinner will follow the re-consecration and foundation stone unveiling.

Members of the public will be able to attend the ceremonies if interested.

The Wangaratta Lodge of St John originally met at the Royal Victoria Hotel in Faithfull Street, then the Council Club Hotel before a dedicated Masonic Hall was

built in Ovens Street in 1903.

In 2011 the Ovens Street property was sold and the lodge moved to 101 Appin Street.

Many street names in Wangaratta reflect the names of early Freemasons.

Bro A.L.M. Steele who laid

the foundation stone in Ovens Street was a local police sergeant and took part in the capture of Ned Kelly at Glenrowan.

For any enquiries regarding the lodge or the events noted above contact Roger Porter on 0417 329 792.

Freemasons donate $700,000 to state flood relief

VICTORIAN Freemasons will contribute $700,000 towards flood relief projects across the state, following meetings last night of Freemasons Victoria and Freemasons Foundation Victoria.

Lodges and Brethren will be able to add further towards the fund.

Freemasons Victoria will contribute $200,000 while Freemasons Foundation Victoria will commit $500,000.

These funds will be available to support floodaffected Freemasons and their families, as well as community recovery projects in the affected areas.

“The floods have had a devastating effect on the people in many regions throughout country Victoria, as well as some areas of metropolitan Melbourne,” RWBro Anthony Bucca, grand master-elect, said.

“Our aim is to provide prompt, worthwhile assistance to affected Brethren and their loved ones, as well as to other people in damaged communities.

“One of the key tenets of Freemasonry is to provide speedy recovery to Brethren in need.

“I am pleased that the foundation can offer this support to our members, as well as the wider community.”

WBro Rodney Lavin JP, chairman of Freemasons Foundation Victoria, said that the foundation and Freemasons Victoria have a strong history of providing relief to victims of disasters, most recently committing $200,000 to flood victims in New South Wales and Queensland.

“This is an evolving situation, changing by the hour, with some communities nervously awaiting the peak of nearby rivers and more rain forecast,” he said.

“Our first priority is to help those affected to get back on their feet and we welcome any contributions from lodges or personally from Freemasons and members of the public.

“They can be directed to the Freemasons Public Charitable Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund.”

Further details on when applications open and how Brethren can apply for relief will be communicated over the coming week.

MASTER OF THE LODGE: PKen Broomhead in the blue collar, acting grand master Tony Bucca is on his right, and the junior grand warden Peter Bond is on his left. Ken’s brother Malcolm Broomhead is on the left of Peter Bond. Others in the photo are members of the grand lodge ceremonial team.

Stay safe in parks and forests this long weekend

VICTORIANS planning a regional getaway

the upcoming Melbourne Cup long weekend have been urged to plan ahead and stay up to date as above-average spring rainfall

to impact not only flooded parts of the state but many popular public land campgrounds and visitor hotspots.

While parts of the state remain open and ready for long weekend visitors, holidaymakers are asked to choose their destination carefully.

Several state forests and national parks have been closed due to flood and storm damage, particularly in northern Victoria.

Numerous roads, tracks and visitor sites have also been closed for public safety and seasonal road closures have been extended in many areas due to conditions.

During this rapidly changing emergency situation, parks and forests may be inaccessible or unsafe, without closures, physical barriers or signage yet in place.

Victorians should plan ahead, be prepared for changing weather conditions and how this can impact tracks, roads, river crossings and trees.

Alternative destinations and regularly updated information about closures can be found on the DELWP and Parks Victoria websites.

For public safety, authorised officers from DELWP, Parks Victoria and the Conservation Regulator will also be patrolling forests, parks and reserves targeting illegal off-road activity, littering and unsafe campfires.

It is an offence to use closed roads and areas.

Anyone caught illegally riding or driving vehicles off-road in state forests and parks can face on-the-spot fines of $185 or up to $500 if the matter is taken to court.

Damaging, disturbing or destroying wildlife habitat carries a maximum fine of more than $9000.

Anyone who witnesses illegal vehicle use or rubbish dumping on public land is encouraged to report it on 136 186.

For more information about rules in state forests, including campfires and vehicle use, visit www.vic.gov.au/rules-in-state-forests.

Under the pump

LOCAL firefighters have banded together to assist nearby townships struck by dangerous flooding events in recent weeks, sharing their water pump expertise to support residents defending their homes.

A CFA district 23 strike team was last week deployed to Shepparton to support specialist search and rescue squads in the area, as hundreds of homes in Mooroopna and Shepparton suffered significant damage following major flood levels along the Goulburn and Broken rivers.

Brigade members from Glenrowan, Wangaratta North, Tarrawingee, Everton and Killawarra joined Mansfield group responders in Shepparton on Tuesday, delivering sandbags and food parcels to residents stuck in homes and assisting clean up works following the previous day’s peak.

Husband and wife duo and long-time Killawarra brigade members Anne and Stephen Ackerly were among the local firefighters who took on the challenge, also playing a key role in defending the floodstricken town of Barmah, working through Sunday night to defend the town’s flood levee.

BY RYAN MALCOLM

rmalcolm@ nemedia.com.au

“They put out a call for volunteers to go to Nathalia to support Barmah, because that was peaking over there and the town had been evacuated - or there was an evacuation notice on the town so people weren’t allowed back in,” Anne said.

“On Sunday we received a message around 2pm requesting volunteers and they filled that allocation within the hour and we assembled at Killawarra at 5pm and made our way over there - so that was a pretty good reaction time,” Stephen said.

“We were just keeping an eye on the pumps around town and the levee banks had been sandbagged trying to make sure there were no breaches,” Anne said.

“And then it pretty much rained all night.”

Having replaced staff from Parks Victoria who had worked

tirelessly over several days to prepare the town for flooding along the Murray River, the strike team was quickly called into action, as parts of the town’s levee bank began to leak.

With stress levels high throughout the town, CFA crews were charged with manually pumping water from the dry side of the town into the wet side, as the township’s automatic pumping system largely succumbed to flooding pressures.

“The river on the other side (of the levee) was rising overnight so it was putting seepage pressure on the levee banks as well,” Anne said.

“(In fire response) you’re working with water and pumping water onto fires, and in this instance we’re pumping and removing water so that’s where the CFA are handy in that they have the gear to pump water and move water around.”

Returning home on the back of a 12 hour shift around 11:30am on Monday, both Anne and Stephen enjoyed a rest day before returning to their regular

K I N T S U G I H E A L T H

volunteer duties.

They said the opportunity to assist a community in need had been a valuable experience.

“There was obviously a bit of stress as far as the residents were concerned, they were tired, they’d been monitoring water and river levels for days and it’s a slow-moving event,” Stephen said.

“A lot of the media latch on and look at the Echuca levee and there’s other townships along the way that are affected and some feel like they’re a bit left out,” Anne said.

“But we were there and as volunteers we kept giving them a hand.

“There’s a lot of work behind the scenes for people who are volunteers - even employers letting employees go out on these jobs, that’s a big thing,” Stephen said.

“It comes down to Killawarra is a community helping other communities, and hopefully one day if we were in the same situation they’d do the same for us.”

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HELPING OUT: Killawarra brigade member Stephen Ackerly was part of a strike team deployed to assist vital water pumping along the banks of the Murray River near Barmah. INSET: TEAM EFFORT: Members of a CFA district 23 strike team played an important role in defending homes at Barmah at the weekend.

PHOTOS: Anne Ackerly

Last week for award nomination

THERE’S a week remaining to lodge nominations for the Rural City of Wangaratta’s 2023 Australia Day Awards.

Nominations for citizen of the year, young citizen of the year and community event or project of the year need close on Friday, November 4 at 4pm.

If you know of a person, group, or event you think deserves recognition for a significant contribution to the community, now is the time to put their name forward.

“The Australia Day Awards are one of the highest honours a council can bestow to publicly acknowledge local heroes, whose dedication and contributions may otherwise go unnoticed,” Rural City of Wangaratta

Beechworth resident to lead state market entity

FARMERS’ markets across the state are set to be hit by a North East flavour, with Beechworth resident Peter Kenyon named the Victorian Farmers’ Markets Association’s new executive officer.

Having joined the organisation in May last year as the VFMA’s new field officer, Mr Kenyon will take on the top role, building on a wealth of experience in both the agricultural and political spheres in recent years.

Currently operating 33 accredited markets in regional and metropolitan Victoria, VFMA president Chris Hain said Mr Kenyon’s appointment would be key to further growth into the future.

“He brings enormous experience and insight from a career in food and political advocacy that will underpin our plans for the VFMA’s future,” he said.

“Peter was a leader in the certified organic retail sector in NSW, and ran an awardwinning, specialist grocery store in Sydney’s norther suburbs, before moving to

Mayor Dean Rees said.

“There are so many people and organisations in our community going above and beyond to make the Rural City of Wangaratta special.

“This is your chance to thank them and acknowledge their inspirational work.

“If you know an outstanding volunteer, community g roup, teacher, shop assistant, builder, doctor, or anyone who inspires you, I urge you to take a minute to nominate them for the 2023 Australia Day Awards.

In addition to receiving an award on Australia Day, the Citizen of the Year is invited to be part of the Marmungun Rock Ceremony during Reconcilia-

tion Week in 2023, hosted by the Dirrawarra Indigenous Network.

“This is a unique and special opportunity for the citizen of the year, and Council is honoured to be part of the event,” Cr Rees said.

In the past, the awards have recognised some incredible people in our community.

John and Jennefer Houghton were awarded the 2022 Citizen of the Year for their dedication in fostering more than 100 children through Upper Murray Family Care, as well as their community work through Wangaratta Lions Club, Carevan and other local organisations.

Elena Sewell-Dolphin was awarded the young citizen of the year for their role as a commit-

ted volunteer at LINE Wangaratta, passionate health care worker and LGBTQIA+ leader. Wang Night Shelter was recognised as the community event/ organisation of the year. The initiative began in 2019, and offers a safe place to sleep each night during the winter months.

Nominating for the awards is now easier than ever, with forms and eligibility information available at https://www. wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Residents/ Events/Australia-Day-Awards2023-Nominations.

The form can also be collected in hard copy from customer service at the Wangaratta Government Centre, Wangaratta Library or the Wangaratta Visitor Information Centre.

Bringing farmers, dogs, communities together

THIS weekend, the Australian Red Cross is bringing dogs, farmers and rural families together in a bushfire recovery initiative designed to set tongues and tails wagging.

Each session is open to 12 farmers and their dogs, and families and other onlookers are encouraged to attend.

Morning and afternoon tea and lunch will be provided.

The free ‘Let‘s Talk – Working Dogs Training’ will be held from 9am to 5pm at Cudgewa Recreation Reserve on October 30, Barnawartha Recreation Reserve on October 31 and Myrtleford Recreation Reserve (at the Ovens Valley Canine Club training grounds) on November 1.

Contact Daisy Day at dday@redcross. org.au for further details.

Beechworth in North East Victoria.

“He also brings experience in public health promotion and as a project and policy adviser to former Indi federal Independent MP, Cathy McGowan.”

Mr Kenyon said the role of food often influenced our lives in unexpected ways each day.

“What we choose to grow, buy and eat, where we get it and how we think about food and where it comes from shapes the world we live in,” he said.

“Diverse, small-scale food and wine and the people who produce it are so often

at the heart of our communities.

“Genuine farmers’ markets provide a regular opportunity for more and more people to support and learn about these communities and get fresh, seasonal food direct from farmersyou can’t do that in a supermarket.

“I’m excited by the possibilities for the VFMA and its producers and markets and the plans we’re developing to build community awareness and support for our members - our producer ad market members have told us what they want and it’s now our job to deliver.”

Check out your local newspaper at nemedia.com.au

TOP HONOURS: John and Jennefer Houghton were joint recipients of Wangaratta’s Citizen of the Year award earlier this year. PHOTO: Nick Richards

NEW ROLE: Beechworth resident Peter Kenyon has taken over as executive officer of the Victorian Farmers’ Market Association.

A creative way to give back

ROSIE CAMILLO-TENNENT

IFNortheast Health Wangaratta can be thankful to COVID for one thing, it is Rosie Camillo-Tennent.

Rosie and her husband moved from Sydney to Wangaratta in 2020 where Rosie had been working in the palliative care unit at Concord Hospital.

When she first arrived, she applied for a volunteer position as an art therapist at Kerferd, but as no volunteers were able to work in that area, Rosie took a position on the COVID desk.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE… VOLUNTEER

By BELINDA HARRISON

NORTHEAST Health

Wangaratta (NHW) is the region’s largest employer and alongside its paid workforce is an army of volunteers who selflessly give their time each week to those in the hospital system.

There are plenty of ways to be involved as a volunteer at NHW and they are always on the lookout for more friendly faces to join the team.

If you would like more information or to apply for a position please contact the volunteer services team on (03) 5722 5297 or volunteers@nhw.org.au.

Rosie now volunteers at Illoura Residential Aged Care and uses art as therapy with residents during her weekly group sessions.

“I’m 70 years old and I have all these skills that I’ve built up over a lifetime as an artist and art therapist, and it’s really nice to be able to share those with others,” she said.

“I organise a group art activity which is sometimes relevant to a day or an event like the Melbourne Cup, but it doesn’t have to be - for instance, recently we received some new pastels so we just enjoyed using those to create individual artworks.”

Rosie said she does a couple of hours preparation before she arrives, ensuring she has completed examples to bring in to show the group.

“Some of the residents are compromised in the use of their hands so I work with them to do something slightly different to the rest of the group - that ensures they can still participate and be involved,” Rosie explained.

“It’s an important social time for them where they can keep active and be out with other people, sharing stories and talking.

“I have learnt a lot about the history of the Wangaratta area from the lovely people at Illoura and it’s so interesting; they talk about their lives and what they’ve done in the past...there is a real variety among the residents.”

Rosie is an excellent example of how NHW works to match volunteers’ interests, skills and wants to what they

need within their hospital and aged care sectors.

“Working with volunteers to get the fit right is really important to us; if they’ve got something to offer and a really strong drive to volunteer, we’ll work with them to try and find the fit that works for everyone,” NHW volunteer manager Kerryn Mitchell said.

“When Rosie came to us it was really about trying to match her amazing skills and interests into something that would be meaningful for our residents and when the volunteering

opportunity came up at Illoura, we spoke to Rosie and found somewhere that’s a good fit for her and for us.”

Rosie said that volunteering is a two-way process.

“It keeps me active, keeps me thinking and gives me a chance to be integrated into the community, as an immigrant to Australia it’s really nice to be able to give back to say thank you for making me welcome,” she said.

“I really do get as much out of volunteering as the residents get from my being there.”

Wangaratta's Premier Riverside location

GIVING BACK: Rosie Camillo-Tennent takes an art as therapy group each week at Illoura Residential Aged Care.

PHOTO: Belinda Harrison

Brown-headed Honeyeater

a sharing kind of bird

By IAN DAVIDSON and CHRIS TZAROS

THE Brown-headed Honeyeater is relatively common

cies

in the north-east Victorian region.

continually on the move.

This bird is found from inland Queensland to coastal New South Wales, Victoria and eastern South Australia and the Murray-Darling Basin.

It is also found in parts of south-western Australia.

1m to 6m above the ground.

They prefer the lightest-coloured hairs for its nest, choosing white rather than brown hairs from kangaroos, piebald (two-tone) ponies and cattle, and ignoring all-brown animals.

They also steal nesting material from other birds’ nests.

the family group from year to year.

Locally, Brown-headed Honeyeaters are found year-round in most wooded habitats, including larger urban gardens.

AN EYE FOR FAIRNESS:

Two Brown-headed Honeyeaters drinking.

The species prefers fair coloured hair from animals for its nest rather than brown hair.

overlooked

they generally

in

superficially like the much more abundant, White-plumed

The Brown-headed Honeyeater is a small honeyeater with a short slender bill. It is plain olive green above, with a brown head marked by a pale line across the back and is pale greyish below.

It has a creamy yellow to orange eye-ring which completely encircles the dark eye. In young birds, the eye-ring is blue.

The Brown-headed Honeyeater, being a relatively dull-coloured bird, appears to be like immature birds of other honeyeater species, but it is the only one of this group that has a completely encircling pale eye-ring.

This species is usually seen in small flocks of five to 15 birds foraging high in the tree canopy and is acrobatic in flight and

The Brown-headed Honeyeater prefers open eucalypt forests and woodlands except desert areas.

It can be seen in parks and gardens at times.

The Brown-headed Honeyeater feeds mainly on insects but will also feed on nectar.

It forages in small flocks, mainly in the canopy, but also in lower shrubs, gleaning its food from bark, branches, leaves and flowers.

If helpers are available, the Brown-headed Honeyeater will breed co-operatively, with up to five birds attending the one nest.

These groups will normally contain a breeding pair plus adults or juveniles, all of which incubate the eggs and help to feed the young.

The nest is a small deep cup made from fine bark, grass and hair bound with spiderwebs and slung by the rim in thick foliage

Young birds often remain with

They are best located by their sharp, scratchy ‘chwik-chwikchwik’ repeating call, often made in flight.

PHOTO: Chris Tzaros (Birds Bush and Beyond)

Live music at The Vine

KICK start your Jazz Festival weekend with a performance by local legends Sweet Buzz at the Vine Hotel Wangaratta tonight from 8pm.

Dinner is available from 6pm-8pm and tickets include a table reservation.

The Vine is also proud to offer Sunday Blues as an official festival partner venue with free entry subject to venue capacity.

Live music will kick off from 11.30am with Fiona Boyes (solo), followed by Soli’s Blues Group at 1pm, Simon Kinny-Lewis at 2:30pm and The McNaMarr Project at 4pm.

Lunch can be ordered between 12pm and 2pm.

To book your tickets visit www.thevinehotel.net.au/.

Benalla Festival program changes

THE 2022 Benalla Festival, scheduled to start on October 29, will see a variation in its program of events due to the recent wet weather.

Organisers have postponed some events on the first weekend of the program.

The unpredictability of the weather, sodden recreation areas and consultation with key stakeholder has led to the decision and while some of the first weekend events will go ahead as planned, people are being asked to check the festival social media for updates.

A number of first weekend events will be postponed to a future date to be advised while second weekend events in Benalla will still run at this stage, subject to weather conditions over the coming week.

The Benalla Festival runs over two weekends from October 29 to November 6.

Program details can be found at www.benallafestival. com.au and for all the latest updates, visit the Benalla Festival Facebook page.

Mt Bruno family fun day

EXPERIENCE a traditional day of family fun at the Mt Bruno Picnic being held tomorrow Saturday, October 29 from 1pm.

For more than 130 years the family day has attracted families who enjoy activities such as the traditional children’s races - three legged, egg and spoon, sack, and aged running races - plus fun events for adults, with everyone receiving a prize.

All are welcome (BYO afternoon tea, water, picnic rugs and chairs) with entry via a donation at the gate, at the picnic area at Mt Bruno in the Warby Ranges.

Art Show ready for a big return

EXCITEMENT is in the air for the return of the King Valley Art Show this weekend for the first time since 2019.

Over 300 artworks by local, intra and interstate artists will be on display at the exhibition at King River Brewing from Saturday, October 29 until Monday, October 31.

The exhibition will be open daily from 10am to 5pm with a $3 entry fee for adults.

King Valley Art’s president Anita Laurence said the arts have been crafted in a diverse range of mediums and styles.

“It’s a big event to have it back

on and it’s on at a new time, which we’re hoping it will attract more people because there’s a lot of visitation expected in the area with a lot happening this weekend,” she said.

“There’s something for everyone, there’s big work and little work, a lot of work by local artists, a lot of new artists who haven’t entered before and we have a young artists section which is interesting as well.

“We’re all excited and all the artists are pretty excited about having the opportunity to show their work again.”

The gala opening is on tonight

from 7:30pm, when judge Richard Lewer will announce the winners of a total prize pool of $15,900.

There is a $35 entry fee for the gala opening and there is a bus available from Wangaratta for a $10 fee.

Ms Laurence said the award has become more attractive for artists with the raise in prize money.

“We’ve found the quality has lifted, it’s really exciting, diverse and high quality art that has been entered,” she said.

“I think we’re all pumped for what’s going to be a beautiful weekend.”

Wang Artists exhibition

WANGARATTA Artists Society’s 51st annual exhibition is on until next Wednesday, November 2 at Batchelors Green Park (next to KMart).

Open daily from 10am till 4pm, entry is free and there is ample parking in the park grounds.

There will be a raffle of a donated painting of one of the members and the society asks the public to vote for the Popular Painting in the show.

Last chance to see exhibit

CAMERON Robbins’ Heliocentric exhibition finishes this Sunday, October 30.

The exhibition features a new installation Helio Ephemera, commissioned by Wangaratta Art Gallery.

It is a direct drive solarpowered drawing instrument - outdoors a solar panel feeds a motor indoors (without batteries) responding to light and shade.

As the day passes, it slowly inscribes graphite lines onto a finely honed and slowly rotating marble slab.

The Wangaratta Art Gallery is open Tuesday- Sunday from 10am-4pm.

Floral delight at Gallery on Ovens

JOELENE Mitchell’s Floriography exhibition is being healt at Art Gallery on Ovens at 4/103 Murphy Street until Monday, October 31.

The exhibition explores the captivating complexity and beauty of florals in large scale and each flower has been chosen with purpose

The gallery is open Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am-4pm and Saturdays and Sundays 10am2pm.

Show Us Your Car

NORTH Eastern Car Club’s ‘Show Us Your Car’ night is returning to the Tarrawingee Recreation Reserve on Wednesday, November 2.

Wangaratta’s biggest annual car display will include classic cars, competition cars, muscle cars, sports cars, street rods, vintage cars and motorcycles, daily driver and electric cars.

Oxley market returns

Commencing at 5.30pm at the North Eastern Car Club grounds at Tarrawingee, entry is $5 per vehicle displayed, with a gold coin donation for those wishing to look at the vast array of motoring history.

There will be a BBQ and cold drinks available for purchase on the night.

For further information, or to display your car, contact event coordinator, Ron Woodward, on 0400 250 861.

STILL GOING STRONG: The Oxley market returns for its 41st year.

ALL SET: King Valley Art members Anita Torrance and Jenny Ashby preparing the exhibition for the King Valley Art how at King River Brewing, with over 300 artworks on display for visitors to admire over the weekend.

Call-out for youth advisory group members

By SIMONE KERWIN

NOW is the time for prospective Rural City of Wangaratta youth advisory group members to register their interest for 2023.

Designed for young people aged between 12 and 17 years, the advisory group gives participants the chance to meet like-minded young people, develop skills, learn about local govern-

ment, work with council officers, provide input and feedback on projects happening around their home, and develop and deliver a community project.

Last week, the current youth advisory group, Next Gen, met with Bek NashWebster and Athmi Devnika from the Grit and Resilience program to discuss ideas for a new partnership program based on a previ-

ous meeting with the group.

The yet-to-be-named program will focus on mental health and wellbeing and will benefit young people, teachers and parents/guardians in the local community.

If you would like to be involved in activities like this in 2023, and are aged between 12 and 17, more information is available by emailing youth@wangaratta. vic.gov.au

Oxley Memorial opening correction

CORRECTIONS to ‘Looking back on the Oxley Memorial opening’, published in The Chronicle Friday, October 21, 2022 p18.

Arthur Victor John, known as ‘Victor’ Culph, was from Oxley and not Wangaratta.

His cousin, Thomas Wilson known as ‘Curly Tom’ Culph, is memorialised on the Milawa Hall honour board and not the Milawa Primary School WWI honour board.

The Thomas Wilson Cul-

The

Delivering free kinder for 3 & 4 year olds (Pre-Prep) from 2023

up to $2,500 per child

ph on the Milawa Primary School WWI is a cousin to both A Victor J Culph and T W ‘Curly Tom’ Culph.

T W ‘Curly Tom’ Culph died of his wounds on 14th August 1915 and not 14th April 1914.

Local people, local places

women back into the work force

Creating more than 11,000 jobs

every child to get the best start for the best life.

per week program for 4 year old children and 5 to 15-hour per week program for 3 year old children.

more information scan the QR code:

LEADING FOR YOUTH: Current Rural City of Wangaratta youth advisory group members (from left) Lucy Sinclair, Lanie Evans, Louis Pye and Turner Pearson are enjoying their involvement in the program.

ARABELLA Cavicchiolo, a Greta Valley Primary School student, took second place in the 2022 Wangaratta Young Writers Award year five/six stories category with this piece.

The competition was jointly run by the Rotary Club of Wangaratta, and the Rotary Club of Wangaratta Appin Park.

walking down the hall towards my job interview to become an international spy. I know it sounds crazy, but it has been my dream job since my parents suggested it to me (last Monday night). My family has been working for this agency for many years and are good friends with the owners. My parents want me to try it out, and so here I am. I stand before the interview room, lift my hand and hesitantly knock three times. My (maybe, almost) boss coaxes me to come in. I slowly enter.

“Hi, Mr...”

“Call me Shawn, I insist.”

“Alright then...Shawn, I’m Ellie. I’m here for the job interview?”

“Ah, yes. Take a seat.”

I feel tense as I place myself down in a cushioned, leather desk chair. We discuss regular job matters for about half an hour. I am surprised at how relaxed and confident I am now.

“Ellie, would you like to take a tour?”

“Sure, where are we going to go?”

“Straight to your office; we’ll go down the stairs, and take two lefts and a right.”

My shoes clonk on the stairs as I walk down. I say the directions over and over in my head, because Shawn is

walking mysteriously slowly behind me. I take the lead, walking carefully, the last thing I want is to make a fool of myself in the middle of the interview. I take two lefts and a right, just as Shawn said. But as soon as I get to my destination I am struck with confusion. There are many doors and only one of them can be my office. So, which one should I go through? I am about to ask Shawn which door it is, but when I turn around he is...gone!

I know what I’m about to do will depend on whether things go terribly wrong or stay going well. I close my eyes with my hand out in front of me and I spin three times. I reluctantly open my eyes and find that my finger is pointing to the third door from the right. I cautiously open the door. It turns out that the door leads to an elevator. Maybe the elevator leads to my office, I think. The elevator doors open and there are four men in black standing in each of the corners. I expect that’s what the security that work here look like.

I stand in the middle of the elevator in the awkward silence. The tension is very high and suddenly the biggest man lifts his left arm and slams it down on the emergency stop button. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Then a deep voice speaks abruptly: “So, I bet you are wondering why I have brought you here today.”

“Wha...what?”

“You heard me.”

His voice was raspy and he didn’t seem to blink. He was tall and solid, and he did not look very nice.

“So...you’re not the security?”

“No.”

“Oh, then what are you?”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re here.”

But that’s the thing, why did they bring me here? Before I know it, they have a blindfold over my eyes and are shoving me around and pushing me from side to side. As you can expect, I do not like that at all!

“Where are you taking me?!”

I yell, but there is no answer.

I can feel the elevator stop and the men walk me down what seems like seven corridors, then finally they sit me down in a small chair and take off my blindfold. I realise that I am in a cramped, dimlylit room with a low ceiling. The men stand up in sync and leave the room. After they close the door, I hear it click locked. This is my time to get out of here, I think. I go to get up, but I am tied to the chair by my ankles and my waist, I trip and fall.

“Oh, biscuits!” I yell in frustration.

I have to get out of here, I think. But how? I look determinedly around me for clues, and something catches my eye. It’s a key wedged between the door and the doorframe! That could be helpful. But how am I going to get untied? “I have no idea,” I whisper under my breath. I whip a hair clip out of my hair and fiddle with the rope. It eventually unties.

I carefully stand up, tip-toe to the door and pluck the key from its spot. I stick the key into the keyhole and twist it left and right a number of times. Finally, it swings open,

only to find Shawn standing in front of me holding his hand out to shake mine.

“Congratulations, Ellie.”

“For what?”

“For completing and accomplishing this test.”

“That...was a test?”

“Yes, what did you think? That we would let anyone do that to such a close friend? And because you passed the test and we think you have the potential to be a professional spy, you’re hired!”

We burst out laughing. It was the most I have laughed in a while because I was so worried out this job interview.

The men in black come out of the room and confront me, they take off their masks and it turns out it was my mum, dad, aunty and uncle!

“WHAT?!” I yell. I am so surprised.

We have a big dinner with my family and the family who own the spy company. And guess what, Shawn gave me my first job as a spy! But there is one problem, the job is on Mount Everest...

Get creative for Halloween

FROM masks and dress-ups to spooky decorations and more, Halloween (October 31) is a great opportunity to have some fun with craft, and can also deliver some wonderful developmental benefits for children.

“Getting creative with craft is a valuable opportunity for connection and collaboration,” Shannon Wong-Nizic, craft expert and owner of online parenting resource Oh Creative Day, said.

“It also promotes all kinds of communication, as children have to describe and express their ideas, problem-solve and take creative risks, which can help build confidence.”

Shannon said working together on creative projects encouraged siblings to discuss, negotiate and work together towards a single goal, and to learn the value of team work.

Crafting with a wide variety of tools and materials can help spark imaginations and lead to all kinds of creative possibilities.

Playing and creatively experimenting with craft is much more fun than aiming for perfection. Giving positive feedback on children’s work, without pushing them to attain a specific look or goal, gives them confidence in their abilities and helps them feel supported to express themselves.

Shannon has developed three unique Halloween craft activities which can be downloaded for free from https://pilotpen.com.au/ink-spot/ There’s a Cats and Bats board game (a Halloween take on Snakes and Ladders) which offers a crafting exercise as well as the chance for kids to play the game together; an ‘arty ghost’ costume made with an old sheet decorated with colourful paint markers; and neon cat bunting - perfect for decorating the house for Halloween.

with Rural City of Wangaratta Mayor Dean Rees at

of her second

2022 Young Writers

YOUNGTALENT:Arabella

GHOSTLY FUN: This arty ghost costume is one of three projects kids can access online to prepare for Halloween.

A sea of pink at breakfast

THE Wangaratta Volunteer Group of Cancer Council Victoria celebrated their 14th Pink Ribbon breakfast on Monday morning this week at the Gateway Hotel in Wangaratta.

The event was a sell out with around 150 community members who have been touched by cancer in some way in attendance, and the prizes offered by generous local businesses were keenly discussed ‘if I should win’.

Caz Sammon from the Grit and Resilience project and Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentor program was the guest speaker and reminded the group that it’s okay not to be okay.

Marlene Thompson

Ivy Maiden.

LADIES’ DAY: Lyn Northey, Elaine Smith and Dawn Dent. PHOTOS: Belinda Harrison

Lorraine Adams, Wendy Stephens and Glenda Bodson.

UP ROSES: Lorraine Adams, Sue Read, Glenda Bodson, Rosie Webb, Nora Martin and Mary Paul.

PRETTY IN PINK: Christine Magee, Glenice Hooper and Julianna Powell.

GOOD MORNING: Group Leader Barb Thomas OAM and guest speaker Caz Sammon.

New faces on Grit and Resilience team

By SIMONE KERWIN

TWO new community partners have been added to the Wangaratta Grit and Resilience Program consortium.

Ronan Holdsworth, who is known for his mural work around the district, and Richard Grogan, the newly-installed president of the Wangaratta Players, have taken on the recently-advertised positions.

They join Caz Sammon and John Davis, who have been community partner members of the consortium since September, 2020, and will be part of the program’s efforts to build an inclusive, supportive and well-connected community.

Ronan said he put his hand up for the role as a way to give back to the community.

“In the four years I’ve been in Wangaratta, the kindness that’s been shown to me has been wonderful, and I want to repay that,” he said.

“I’d also like to find ways to change the lens of how we help some areas of the community, including our youth.”

Richard said he was encouraged by Caz to join the consortium, and his new role fitted well with his study for a diploma in community services, with a focus on mental health support and

suicide prevention. Richard is also involved with the Wangaratta Area Suicide Prevention support group.

“This is about not only being involved in the community, but being able to assist in that area,” he said.

“I look forward to helping guide the Grit and Resilience Program to meet the needs of the community.”

Grit and Resilience Program coordinator Bek Nah-Webster said she was thrilled with the new appointments.

“Both Ronan and Richard have been involved in activities supported by the program, and we are so pleased that they expressed an interest in becoming involved at the strategic level,” she said.

“They will now help to guide the direction of the program, bringing with them new perspectives and knowledge.”

The consortium also includes representation from eight organisations: Rural City of Wangaratta, Gateway Health, Northeast Health Wangaratta, Albury Wo-

donga Aboriginal Health Service, Albury Wodonga Health, Victoria Police, headspace Wangaratta, and the newest member The Centre - Sport North East.

Currently funded to June 2023, the Grit and Resilience Program is taking a community-driven approach to better understand and address mental health and wellbeing across the Wangaratta municipality. 

To find out more about the program, visit www.wangaratta.vic. gov.au/Residents/Grit-Resilience.

Mental health care boost coming to community

THE State Government has included Wangaratta as a part of its rollout of new mental health support networks across the state, which will aim to help Victorians build connections in their local communities and help their mental health and wellbeing.

Acting Minister for Mental Health Colin Brooks announced on Friday the first five government funded Social Inclusion Action Groups (SIAGs) will be established over the next year, including Benalla, Mansfield and Wangaratta.

The Grit and Resilience team will be coordinating the Wangaratta group which will aim to get community members and leaders across the area working together to deliver initiatives and activities that boost social inclusion and connection.

They’ll be made up of a diverse range of community members and local leaders of all ages and backgrounds, including people with lived experience, Aboriginal people and those from LGBTIQ+, disability and culturally diverse communities.

Mr Brooks said the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System recognised that communities are best placed to understand and drive local social connection and inclusion that supports mental health and wellbeing.

“We’re supporting more people to feel connected to their community, with programs developed by locals who know their communities,” he said.

In response to Royal Commission’s recommendations, the State Government has invested $9 million over four years to establish the first 10 SIAGs with the next five groups to be set up in 2024 and 2025.

ARM IN ARM: Ronan Holdsworth, Caz Sammon, Richard Grogan and John Davis are the four community partners involved in the consortium which guides the Wangaratta Grit and Resilience Program.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

Nats’ Bright hospital vow

A NATIONALS/Liberals government will commit $26 million to a major redevelopment of the Bright Hospital Precinct, in line with the Bright District Hospital Health Precinct Development developed in 2020/21.

The funding includes:

million towards residential aged care;

million for hospital upgrades;

for student accommodation at Hawthorn Village.

This major investment will deliver an additional 35 aged care beds in the short term, with the plan also inclusive of an additional 2 x 7 bed units to meet future demand.

Federal Government and private and community capital would be needed to match the $13.25 million commitment to fully fund the upgrades.

Addition upgrades to the hospital include funding for a new production kitchen,

the reconfiguration of nine acute care rooms to provide private bathrooms, as well as establishing a new palliative care suite.

There will also be investment into the creation of additional consulting rooms, as well as allied and community health facilities.

If elected in November, the Hawthorn Village will become new student learning accommodation upon the completion of the new

aged care facilities, as well as housing staff and medical professionals.

This will help to ease the transition and encourage more medical staff to move to Bright.

Deputy Leader of the Nationals, Emma Kealy, described the announcement as a ‘substantial boost’ to healthcare in Bright.

“The facilities here in Bright are long overdue for a major upgrade, and we have

a shovel ready project waiting to go,” Ms Kealy said.

“A Nationals Government will provide the funding, ensuring that the residents of Bright and surrounds have the best quality health and aged care possible.”

Nationals MP for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, called the project ‘visionary’, and a step forward for the local community.

“I have been pushing for funding for eight years and

have raised it in parliament on many occasions,” Mr McCurdy said.

“I am pleased to see that we will support a muchneeded investment into the future of Bright’s health and aged care sector.

“More people can stay local to get the care they need, and don’t have to leave town to find aged care facilities.

“We are committed to getting Bright locals their fair share.”

$500,000 pledge to fix McNamara Reserve drainage

By BRODIE EVERIST

IN a further local funding announcement the Nationals have committed $500,000 to undertake major ground works at Myrtleford’s RC McNamara Reserve to improve surface conditions.

Nationals MP for the Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, visited the McNamara Reserve on Friday with Shadow Minister for Sport, Cindy McLeish, to make the announcement.

The commitment includes funding for drainage works to help remove water from the oval during heavy rain, thus preventing the surface from becoming unplayable.

Mr McCurdy said the works will help guarantee more games for the local football

and cricket clubs and improve the overall condition of the ground.

According to Mr McCurdy, he consulted the Alpine Shire Council and $500,000 was recommended for the drainage works.

Mr McCurdy said the money will be used to strip the topsoil from the oval, install a drainage system, and potentially replace the soil.

He said while the project may only cost around $350,000, if soil replacement is necessary it would bring costs to around $500,000.

He predicted the works would start in September next year, if a Liberal/National government are elected this November.

“You’d have to factor it in

soon as footy finished next year,” he said.

The ground was subject to a complaint to the Ovens and Murray Football Netball League after a particularly muddy match in August, which had come after 80mm of rain in the three days prior to the match.

Treasurer of the McNamara Reserve committee of management, Alan Heberle, said it was important the oval is kept to a good standard as it is used by so many in the community, including Ovens and Murray football matches and first grade cricket.

Better ground conditions could also see the reserve hosting Ovens and Murray League finals matches, according to Mr Heberle.

DRAINAGE DISCUSSIONS: (From left) McNamara Reserve committee treasurer Alan Heberle, Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy and Shadow Minister for Sport Cindy McLeish discussing the state of the oval at the McNamara Reserve.

PHOTO: Brodie Everist

Mystic Park gets positive feedback

By ANDY WILSON

THE Alpine Community Plantation (ACP) has reported feedback from a survey about their new operational model has been positive so far.

The ACP is a not-for-profit group and has found that high numbers of visitors to Bright’s Mystic Park, post-COVID, meant that more maintenance was required for the upkeep of the popular mountain bike facility with more than 60kms of tracks.

The survey was launched in midOctober and addresses the need for a new model which now requires membership fees.

Mystic Park is located on a working pine plantation and is open to recreational use.

ACP executive officer, Kirsten Seeto, said the survey had received some “really positive” feedback.

“It does feel like the community is getting behind this and although we recognise that some people are

going to be disappointed by the increase in costs, the running of the park just isn’t sustainable anymore,” Ms Seeto said.

“However, we have found that, generally, people who are unhappy with the new model will bother with the survey and those who are happy are buying memberships,” she said.

The bike trail that runs through the forest was built originally and maintained for many years by Alpine Cycling Club (ACC) volunteers.

“This trail is a reflection of the heart and soul of ACC, but we can’t leave maintenance to volunteers for a park of this size, as it now goes beyond their capability,” Ms Seeto said.

Funds to maintain the park have been raised mostly by the club, and private and commercial shuttle income.

Local residents and businesses are impacted by dust which is produced by the bike trail in summer, and which is managed by dust suppression methods.

“These can include trail runners, hikers, paragliders, hang gliders, and people walking their dogs.”

According to Ms Seeto, the new membership model aims to improve safety by reducing the number of vehicles in the park - in the past many drivers ignored parking sites and unloaded bikes in the wrong places.

“We have an obligation to make sure that the park that we have the privilege of access to, thanks to the landowner, is also safe for everyone to enjoy.

“The membership fees will make the park just break even, and at the end of the day, we do need users to contribute to the cost.”

Access to frequently asked questions about the model can be found at: https://www.alpinecommunityplantation.com.au/mysticpark-faq.

Local residents and businesses, and non-mountain bike users of the park are also encouraged to answer the survey.

Alpine Shire calling for better mobile coverage in ACCC submission

By ANDY WILSON

A SUBMISSION made by Alpine Shire Council to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has outlined the need for the shire’s telecommunication infrastructure to be upgraded.

Council’s submission to the Regional Mobile Infrastructure Inquiry described the impact that poor mobile re-

ception can have in bushfire situations as well as on the increased population of the shire during holiday periods.

The shire population of 13,251 people can expand to 38,000 during peak periods, resulting in insufficient bandwidth to accommodate residents, tourists, and businesses.

“Our increasing reliance on telecommunications technol-

ogy has led to a service that is grossly inadequate to support our escalating needs,” the submission said.

“Current policy fails to contextualise the pressures on our community.”

According to the submission, council has continually identified areas of priority in response to the national ‘black spot’ program by nominating locations that are in the best

interest of public safety.

Although council recognised the success of the program, it criticised the lack of consistency with providers which has led to further fragmented and dysfunctional service.

Council also approved the proposal of using a ‘neutral host’ model, where funding is awarded to a non-mobile network operator (MNO) infrastructure

provider who then manages wholesale services to MNOs.

The lack of engagement with local residents by those providers that secured tenders was also described.

Council said that decisions were made by the tenderer without local knowledge with respect to needs.

An example of this was the addition of a telecommunications tower in Nug Nug to

service Lake Buffalo, enabling recreational users to make emergency calls on site.

“The addition of the tower did not achieve the desired outcome,” the submission said.

The Regional Mobile Infrastructure Inquiry was established for regional areas nation-wide to comment, after a consultation paper was published by the ACCC on July 1 of this year.

ON A ROLL: The Alpine Community Plantation (ACP) has reported feedback from a survey about their new operational model has been positive so far.

PHOTO: JP Ronco

Show triumphs come rain or shine

By BRODIE EVERIST

AN estimated 2000 people came through the gates for the Myrtleford Show on Saturday to enjoy the myriad of entertainment and competitions at the showgrounds, despite a late morning downpour.

Myrtleford locals Daisy and Lucy Howell won prizes at the dog show and art show.

Daisy said she particularly enjoyed holding a crocodile at the Snakebusters stall.

“We’ve come every year and so far it just gets better every time,” she said.

Rain started falling heavily around 11:50am, causing many to seek shelter under trees, portable shelters and the pavilions.

“It only rains on the unloved,” joked safety officer Trevor Isherwood inside the crowded AW Richardson, and he complimented the Myrtleford Show committee on their “exceptional job” in organising the show.

At the REDI Expo stalls, many reported having good visitation for the morning, but once the rain set in they began packing up.

Bronwyn Parker, from the Alpine Shire Council’s stall, said many community members had visited and taken their REDI Expo showbags, filled with safety information, pens, pencils and a bucket (to encourage people to douse their campfires).

At the cattle pavilion Indigo

Valley cattle farmer Tabitha Cross had taken out supreme exhibit for her Murray Grey heifer.

“She’s the first heifer I’ve taken to a show that I’ve bred and owned myself, so I’m incredibly proud of her,” she said.

“There was some great competition here, a great combination of cows and calves, some Hereford heifers and a beautiful lineup of Dexter cow and calves as well.”

On Monday Myrtleford Show committee president Debbie Geddes thanked all the show sponsors, volunteers, trade stall displays and entertainers for their work.

“The show committee were so happy the show went ahead,” she said.

Plumb Harrietville first

By ANDY WILSON

RESIDENTS of Harrietville have aired their concern for the “drastic” need for council to first help them install a sewer system for the village before developing a 12-hectare site in the centre of town.

A council survey closes this Friday for residents of Harrietville to give feedback on plans to develop the village’s ‘tailings’ area.

The area runs on the

Residents prioritise wastewater over development bid

eastern side of the Great Alpine Highway behind a row of residential houses and the Harrietville Primary School.

The survey asks residents to elect one of four options for the site or to leave the area as it is.

Council is offering the site either to be subdivided for more housing, used for mixed activities, developed for a tourism enterprise, or

any other proposal.

The tailings comprise the remnants of rock which was crushed and discarded in the extraction process that dominated the village’s 102year gold mining history.

In 2015, residents identified residential growth as important to increasing the resilience of Harrietville.

Residents have been quite vocal for some time about the need for a sewer system

to be installed prior to any other considerations in the village.

A feasibility study published on October 7, 2021, reported that council was able to undertake a market-led housing or tourism-based development.

Key issues from that study were wastewater management and bushfire risk, but some in the community feel there’s need

for more residences.

Ross Larard, publican of Harrietville’s iconic ‘bottom pub’ beside the School Bridge, said that before any other changes were made, a sewer system was the “most logical idea”, whether the development produced more housing or a tourist development.

“There’s a massive demand here for more residences,” Mr Larard said.

Greg Pelly, who manages an accommodation business, said that hospitality staff fill too many local houses and is in favour of a housing development going ahead.

“We need more residences here, as many are rented out for holiday accommodation anyway, but I don’t see the sewage treatment happening,” Mr Pelly said.

“Some people don’t want the development to follow that improvement.”

WINNER: Indigo Valley cattle farmer Tabitha Cross won supreme exhibit for her Murray Grey heifer.

Earthquake aftershock rocks Mansfield once qgagain Shaken, not stirred

MANSFIELD was shaken again by a magnitude 3.4 earthquake at 9:01am on Wednesday last week.

Windows rattled and kangaroos jumped as the thunderous rumbling was felt around the district, with hundreds of people posting on the Mansfield & District Community noticeboard in the minutes after.

“It felt and sounded like something had crashed into the house, enough for the dogs and I to run outside,” said Anita Dundas.

Jasmina Haukka felt it out at Merrijig, saying that it felt

BY SHAUN McMAHON smcmahon@ nemedia.com.au

like someone drove into a house pillar, while Antonia Francis felt it in Merton, her windows rattling after the initial tremor.

Associate Professor Mark Quigley, a subject matter expert from Melbourne University who has spent some time with his research team here in Mansfield, said it could have been an

aftershock from the 5.9 magnitude earthquake on September 22 last year.

“That major earthquake generated a lot of aftershocks in the region and this one that just happened could be one of the aftershocks as the crust settles down from the big one we had in 2021,” he said.

Mansfield emerged relatively unscathed following the earthquake last year.

But the quake made

headlines across the globe, with news crews flocking to Mansfield to interview local residents and business owners.

Structurally, the township remained undamaged; however, many residents were severely shaken by the suddenness and severity of the 5.9 quake, the epicentre of which was recorded outside of Woods Point.

Old and potentially vulnerable buildings such as the Old Library in Ailsa Street and the brick kilns at

the former timber mill site off the Stock Route stood their ground.

Cracking and road damage was reported in some areas, including on the Jamieson-Licola Road.

Several aftershocks occurred in the months after this, with many residents reporting feeling these.

Geoscience Australia have mapped the most recent earthquake’s epicentre just north of Bridge Creek, between Tolmie and Barjarg.

Danni Schneider felt the rumble at Tolmie, and thought it was a truck at first, as did Caral Burrell in Goughs Bay.

David Coutts also felt it in Cheshunt.

But while some residents were shaken, many remained unstirred, initially attributing the rumble to more common everyday occurrences.

“I assumed one of my teens slammed a door,” said Sarah Mae.

“Last time I thought my washing machine had a conniption.”

Plantation lifecycle continues in Bright and Myrtleford

By LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE

HARVEST operations transition to Bright this month with HVP log transportation trucks expected to return to local roads.

Up to 25.5 hectares of pine plantation will be harvested during the operation in Bakers Gully around Clear Spot Road.

Anne Partridge, HVP Plantations’ Northern Region general manager said the trees will be converted into sawn timber and other building and paper products.

“With the completion of the recent harvest in the Nil Gully area above Myrtleford, North East Wood’s cable harvest crew are headed to Bright,” she said.

“Forest workers first planted pine trees at the Bakers Gully site in the 1940s, then 1980s and 90s, and after the current crop is harvested, it will be re-planted winter

2023 for the next rotation on this site.

“It’s a significant operation, with eight members in the harvest crew, several truck drivers delivering to mills, and a number HVP staff involved in planning and oversight.

“Over the full plantation life cycle, we work on roads, manage weeds and nutrition, promote crop health and productivity, thin out the stand, and realise its full value when we harvest the mature stand.

“Regional processors then convert the timber into the products we use such as sawn timber, plywood, MDF board and cardboard.

“We also enable recreational access to our plantations, but only when it’s safe to do so.

“This is why forest operations worksites - such as the current worksite in Bakers Gully - are closed to all members of the public.

“HVP and our contractors thank the community for following the directions of worksite signs and forest operators.

“Anyone riding or walking past signs into a worksite causes exceptional stress to our staff and crew, and puts their own and others’ lives at risk.

“We’re really proud of this renewable industry that we’re part of, we focus on getting the job done safely, value our connection to local communities, and provide a really diverse range of career opportunities.”

Trucks will be traveling along Bakers Gully Road, Ireland Street, Anderson Street and onto the Great Alpine Road, concluding in December.

For more information or to provide feedback, contact HVP’s Myrtleford office on (03) 5731 2000 or info@hvp. com.au.

FOR THE ROAD?

PLANTATION OPERATION: HVP has begun harvesting timber at its plantation at Bright.

Local researcher needs retiree help for volunteer study

By CORAL COOKSLEY

A RESEARCH project to better understand retirees’ withdrawal impacts from regular volunteering is being undertaken by a local Beechworthian.

Charles Sturt University Doctor of Philosophy candidate (PhD) Gael Barr-Evans said when working for notfor-profit organisations she noticed that people who were retired from the workforce often dedicated a great deal of time to a volunteer role.

“Naturally this led to additional social connections, ac-

tivity and often a shared meal or two,” she said.

“When these individuals were no longer able to participate in their volunteer role, I realised that some became socially isolated and their health and wellbeing declined.”

Ms Barr-Evans said she was exploring the impacts of the loss of a volunteer role and if ongoing engagement with the organisation altered any potential impacts.

The researcher is on the hunt for people willing to respond to her surveys provided in a way that suits the

participant’s lifestyle, either online, in hard copy or via phone for the project titled ‘Organisational and Individual Outcomes of Volunteer Withdrawal: Consequences for Retired Volunteers’.

Ms Barr-Evans is being supervised by an experienced team of CSU researchers - Dr Joanna Esler, Associate Professor Maree Bernoth and Dr Elyce Green.

“All participant details and responses will be kept confidential and this research has ethics clearance (number: H19412) via the university,” she said.

Significant growth with deer hunting

LAST year’s deer harvest was up 49 per cent on the long term average, according to a report by the Game Management Authority (GMA) released last week.

The ‘Estimates of the 2021 deer harvest in Victoria’ report showed 118,900 deer were harvested in 2021 - a 70 per cent increase on the estimated 69,900 deer harvested in 2020, and a 49 per cent increase on the long-term average.

GMA research principal, Dr Jason Flesch, said the increase in deer harvest numbers were a result of more active hunters in the field during the 2021 deer hunting season.

“The easing of restrictions on travel and recreational activity during 2021 has likely led to an increase in hunter activity, this has resulted in an increase in the estimated number of deer harvested in 2021,” Dr Flesch said.

“Information about the number of deer harvested by recreational hunters informs decisions about deer control and the management of hunting on public and private land in Victoria.”

The number of licenced recreational deer hunters in 2021 was 49,857, the largest recorded to date.

This is a 20 per cent increase on the number of

recreational deer hunters in 2020 (41,056). Of the 49,857 licensed deer hunters, 36 per cent actively hunted in 2021.

Sambar Deer was the most harvested species with an estimated total harvest of 68,916 deer, of which 57 per cent were female.

Fallow Deer was the second most harvested species, with an estimated harvest of 35,351 deer, of which 56 per cent were female.

On average, active deer hunters harvested an estimated 6.6 deer over 13.6 days.

The most popular hunting areas were around the towns of Mansfield, Wodonga, Bairnsdale, Benalla and

“Surveys take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete, depending on the level of detail the participant wants to provide.

“For current or former volunteers, the survey will ask questions about health, wellbeing, and engagement with the organisation.

“The survey focuses on questions that gain insight into aged volunteers and their willingness to help, speak up and advocate for volunteer managers and coordinators.

“Some general questions will be asked about their ex-

perience as a volunteer manager or coordinator too.”

Online contributions to the research for retired former volunteers can be made by visiting survey link: https://lnkd.in/gha4UKzr.

For people retired and are currently volunteering visit survey link: https://lnkd.in/ gQby8fTG) while people who manage or coordinate volunteers can visit survey link: https://lnkd.in/gZGExpGk).

Ms Evans-Barr can be contacted on 0409 882 401, and plans to complete her research next year.

Kinglake Central.

The highest number of deer harvested were around the towns of Mansfield, Bright, Healesville, Wangaratta and Lakes Entrance.

Throughout 2021, ap-

proximately 2400 licensed deer hunters were surveyed to collect information about their hunting activity.

Information collected included how many deer were harvested, where hunting

occurred, the hunting methods used, and the species of deer harvested.

The report was produced by the GMA in collaboration with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.

ON THE HUNT: According to the Game Management Authority’s latest report, Sambar Deer was the most harvested species deer species in Victoria, with an estimated total harvest of 68,916 deer.

KEEN INTEREST: Beechworth’s Gael BarrEvans became interested in the decline of retirees’ health and wellbeing after leaving volunteer roles.

Sunshine Walk will make tracks for Alexandra Park

THE Sunshine Walk will move to a new location at Alexandra Park after floodwaters prevented the event from following its usual course along the Murray River.

The start and finish line of the Sunday, November 6 event will now be at the Les O’Brien Athletics Precinct and will utilise the extensive footpath network in Albury and Thurgoona.

The DIY option remains the same allowing participants to complete the walk at a location of their choice, with the aim of the event to raise money and awareness for the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund.

After two years of going virtual, the trust fund is determined to hold the event in person with 60 teams registered already this year.

“Our communities did an incredible job supporting the Sunshine Walk during COVID, so this is really a celebration of being able to get together again and show our collective support for local families impacted by cancer,” trust fund board member Di Thomas said.

“Our original plan was to start and finish at Albury’s Noreuil Park, but given that’s under water and unlikely to dry out in time for the walk, we have decided to move to the athletics track.

“Our 20km participants will head out to Thurgoona and back past the cancer centre, while our five and 10km walkers will follow the footpaths towards South Albury.

“It should still be a fantastic walk for everyone and really, we expect it to have the same fun atmosphere and great

sense of community spirit no matter where it’s held.”

Looking forward to the walk are Wodonga couple, Phil and Julie Wilkins who have registered the team, Phil’s Followers.

The team takes its inspiration from Mr Wilkins who was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, caused by exposure to asbestos, last December.

“Phil has been undergo-

WANGARATTA RSPCA

WHEN you are looking for your next pet, make an application with the Wangaratta RSPCA.

Please note, you no longer need to submit an online application to adopt a cat, kitten or small animal as walk-ins are accepted at the Wangaratta RSPCA but please call ahead to make an appointment to meet the animals.

The Wangaratta RSPCA animal adoption source code is BR100934 and animal microchip numbers are below.

Cats:

Short hair, tabby, male, 2 years, 956000015884105, ‘Basil’;

Short hair, white, female, 2 years, 956000013292934, ‘Lily;’

Short hair, tortoiseshell and white, female, 8 years, 956000003466645, ‘Lulu’;

Medium hair, tortoiseshell, female, 8 months, 956000014447766, ‘Milly’;

Short hair, black, male, 1 year, 956000006410250, ‘Moe’ (bonded with Salem);

Short hair, black, male, 1 year, 956000006412300, ‘Salem’ (bonded with Moe);

ing immunotherapy at the cancer centre since February and we just appreciate everything that’s done for him there,” Mrs Wilkins said.

“I myself have sought sup-

port through the Wellness Centre, receiving carer information and counselling, and that was a godsend.

“We’re so thankful to have that service in our community and not have to travel.”

The Sunshine Walk has raised more than $650,000 for the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund over three years.

It is held as part of a week-long campaign, Sunshine Week, which encourages businesses, schools and community groups to host a fundraising event between October 31 and November 6.

All money raised goes towards new facilities, services and research at the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre.

To register for the walk or for further information, visit www.sunshinewalk.org.au.

Short hair, ginger, female, 8 months, 956000015884887, ‘Nina’;

Short hair, white, male, 6 years, 991003000751438, ‘Peaches’;

Medium hair, black, male, 2 years, 956000015833491, ‘Wolf’.

Dogs:

Staffordshire Bull Terrier, white, male, 1 year, 953010005091468, ‘Barton’;

German Shepherd, black, female, 3 years, 956000012252883, ‘Buffy’;

Staghound, brown and white, male, 2 years, 953010004967411, ‘Diesel’;

Coonhound, black and tan, female, 3 years, 956000015014390, ‘Roxy’;

Bloodhound, black and tan, female, 7 years, 943094320491190, ‘Shelley’;

Greyhound, black, female, 5 years, 956000005582557, ‘Victoria’; Small animals:

Netherland Dwarf rabbit, lilac, female, 7 months, 956000015932449, ‘Evelyn’;

Netherland Dwarf rabbit, seal point, female, 7 months, 956000015800687, ‘Mary’.

A BIG STRONG LASS: Roxy is in need of a hound-experienced home that is prepared to work with her to help her see that life as a companion is a lot different to what she’d been used to. She needs to be the only dog in her new home, and cannot go to a home with small animals likes cats, chickens or rabbits. She would be best suited in a household where the youngest humans are at least secondary school aged. If you think you have the experience, know-how and persistence to work with Roxy and add her to your household, please submit an application. Roxy’s microchip number is 956000015014390.

PHOTO: RSPCA

Enquire: 0409 814 296

Location: 271 Tone Road, Wangaratta Phone: (03) 5722 9933

Email: sales@mcgregormachinery.com.au Web: www.mcgregor-machinery.com.au

Hygienist

CHANGE OF PLANS: (From left) Julie Wilkins (5km), trust fund board member Di Thomas (10km) and Julie’s husband Phil Wilkins, at the new starting and finishing points of the Sunshine Walk, Les O’Brien Athletics Precinct in Albury.

ve bedrooms and study, multiple living spaces and upgraded appliances everywhere.

Loved as a family home for more than 20 years, the current owners have added everything you could ever need.

There is ducted heating both gas and refrigerated, large lounge area, pool room, bar and all overlooking pool and spa.

The kitchen with stone tops and open plan can also access the 9mx9m alfresco to the pool while preparing meals with Miele appliances at your disposal.

There are sandstone tiled floors to the entry., new carpets to the main, and three bedrooms in the west wing and study.

Renovations over time as well as the extension in 2002 make for a beautiful place to live.

It’s all set on prestigious, established and quiet Waldara Court where traffic flow is minimal.

There is walkway access through to

the golf course and new driving range.

It’s set on over one acre with solar, multiple heating HWS units for home, pool and spa, gas heating to the outdoors, roller blinds to keep the wind out while the shedding has grown to include 20m X 7m for van storage, boat, mower, and whatever other toys you can find.

Tennis? Yes it has a court as well.

Private, beautiful presentation this home has it all.

Ring now; you can’t rebuild for anywhere near the asking price.

Generous settlement time available

Private, peaceful, paradise

its best,

River

of Mount Cobbler and open country. With 100 acres of bush and river frontage this property offers a perfect weekend escape. Whether your interests be

shing, hunting swimming, or just taking in the scenery you won’t be disappointed. Plenty of space for camping and exploring with a quaint studio for comfort with amenities, 24V Solar system, 3.6 kVA with 240 V inversion unit, lithium batteries updated 2020 and generator back up. Shedding is in abundance with an 8 x 12 shed, double woodshed and mower storage. It’s not to be discounted how

Nutrien Harcourts

9444

Upper Rose River Road, Rose River

Acres

Gordon

By DEREK OGDEN

IN pre-politically correct times ‘The man in the street’ was a term used to describe the ordinary male (person).

In 2006 I was in Japan watching early SX4 vehicles roll off the assembly lines at Suzuki’s Hamamatsu plant, noting its bland physical characteristics.

This MITS manner was reinforced on an extended drive of the small sports utility vehicle on the company’s test track, with its performance providing an uninspiring driving experience.

Little has changed over the years, with the SX4 generally flying under the automotive radar, while its siblings - Jimny, Swift and Vitara - led the way in design and innovation. The latest S-Cross could be about to change the order of things.

The second generation SX4 in 2013 took on the S-Cross suffix and an optional all-wheel drive system named AllGrip. It has four selectable driving modes - Normal, Sport, Snow and Lock.

Following a facelift in 2016, the third generation first saw the light of day in 2021, and has now been given a makeover for the model year 2023, in the form of a freshened cabin and restyled exterior, plus new technology.

The 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine stays pretty much the same but now puts its power to ground through a new AllGrip all-wheel drive system.

There is a price to pay$40,490, plus on-road costs, $10,000 more than the base figure.

A Prestige model, with even more goodies, tips the

scales at $44,490. I enjoyed time with the latter.

Like all present-day Suzuki cars, the S-Cross is covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and five-year capped-price service scheme, the latter at 12 months or 10,000-kilometre intervals.

STYLING

Updated S-Cross styling retains the somewhat angular look of days gone by, while most modern rivals show off slick coupe-like looks. Included here are a new front and back, doors, bumpers and lighting.

Up front the two-storey grille is dominated by the stylised Suzuki ‘S’ and leaves oncoming drivers in no doubt as to the car’s pedigree.

A sleeker bonnet, black diamond lattice grille and redesigned automatic LED headlights have the SUV standing tall, while square wheel arches wrapping polished alloy and silver highlights on the bumpers make for a more robust profile than before.

INTERIOR

Quality leather appointments are not enough to detract from the firmness of the seats.

Little lateral support is forthcoming too. On the upside, the steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach.

Behind the wheel is an instrument cluster comprising two analogue gauges with a digital trip computer between, which includes a speedo. Dual-zone climate control adjustment is within easy reach.

The S-Cross AllGrip is the same dimensions as its predecessor, which is enough to

keep an average build adult in some comfort, especially in the rear.

The boot opens up to an expansive 430 litres with the seat backs up, extending to a voluminous1230 litres with seat backs folded. Hardwearing fabric material covers the deck and extends up the walls.

There’s also an underfloor boot-wide compartment

INFOTAINMENT

A 9-inch touchscreen is a step up from the 7-inch system in the base model. A clear colour display supports factory-fitted satellite navigation, camera with all-round view and digital radio info.

Apple CarPlay customers enjoy wireless communication, while Android Auto folk have to make do with wired connectivity.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS

Lift the bonnet. There’s nothing (new) to see here.

Those familiar with the previous model will recognise the engine, a 1.4 litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol motor producing 103 kW and 220 Nm, mated with a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission, now taking in the new Suzuki allwheel drive system, AllGrip.

SAFETY

Standard safety comes with autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, driver fatigue monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors.

DRIVING

The featherweight BoosterJet engine has a spring in its step, with plenty of

A GRIP

low-down torque and a wellmatched torque-converter auto. Plastic paddle shifts are best ignored.

However, the spicy motor and well-sorted ride and handling package were good enough to throw the S-Cross assuredly around on corners, while feather-light steering pointed the nose in the desired direction and slow-speed parking in tight spots was low on trepidation.

A claimed combined urban/highway fuel consumption figure of 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres translated in test car terms to 8 litres per 100 kilometres in city traffic and 5 litres per 100 kilometres on the open road.

Not too much of a financial burden on the recommended 95 RON juice.

Getting to grips with a wide range of conditions under foot, the car’s multimode all-wheel-drive system offers Normal, Sport, Snow and Lock stages, running predominantly from the front wheels in Normal to 66:33 split in Snow.

Front bias helps keep the vehicle on a straight course on ice.

Snow also firms up stability control, while leaving traction control unfettered in snow.

Lock serves up a steady-

as-she-goes 50:50 split.

Sport takes charge from the rear, partly freeing stability control, while calling on transmission operation to be more responsive.

All are to hand via a knob on the centre console behind the gearshift lever.

SUMMARY

The S-Cross is far from my favourite Suzuki, with the aforementioned Jimny, Swift and Vitara, atop the podium positions.

However, with the spritely performance of the latest generation, the S-Cross is making a gallant effort to grab the attention of people like me.

It’s beginning to work.

Note that Suzuki Queensland is a separate entity to Suzuki in the rest of Australia, but it’s expected that the two entities will be very much the same.

If you’re in another State or Territory and considering buying a Suzuki we suggest you talk to the dealer of your choice about the new model.

The 2022 S-Cross is being released in Queensland with two specification lines: GLPlus and GLX with the GLX also having the option of a sunroof.

The model names elsewhere are All Grip and

Grip

the sunroof

standard.

■ ALMOST TEMPTING: Exterior design upgrades announce the arrival of the Suzuki S-Cross AllGrip

Alpine trial comes to Bright

BY BRODIE EVERIST beverist@ nemedia.com.au

VINTAGE car enthusiasts visited the Alpine region last week, as part of the RACV and Vintage Drivers Club’s (VDC) recreation of the 1921 Alpine Trial.

The drivers had made their way from Wodonga, through Myrtleford, on Tuesday, while on Wednesday afternoon they were getting ready for their trip to Harrietville before heading back to Bright for the night, and then driving to Mansfield the next day.

VDC president and event secretary, Glenda Chivers, said the trial had started with 46 cars, but one had suffered a technical breakdown, and had left on a truck that day.

But apart from that hitch, she said everyone had enjoyed the rally, and Wednesday’s weather was beautiful.

Trial participant Geoff Adams was driving his 1922 three litre cloverleaf Bentley, a car with a historic connection to the North East.

Mr Adams said it is the oldest Bentley in Australia, having arrived in Melbourne in 1922, and was originally driven in the first Alpine Trial 101 years ago.

According to Mr Adams, the car was bought by his grandfather Bill Higgins, car enthusiast and owner of the Wangaratta Chronicle newspaper, in 1942.

The car was sold in 2008, but Mr Adams purchased it in 2018, bringing the car back into the family fold.

“The car lived at Wangaratta for 60-odd years on a farm just out of Wangaratta called Pelican,” he said.

“It’s known as the Higgins Bentley in Bentley circles.”

The term cloverleaf refers to the three seat design of the car, with two seats in front and a larger seat at the back making a cloverleaf shape.

“I like the note - the Bentley, three litre, four cylinder note,” Mr Adams said.

“The sound, it is just exhilarating.

“It does go through a fair bit of fuel, but that’s to be expected.”

In 1921, RACV launched its first of a series of Alpine Trials to test vehicles and advocate for better roads and services in Victoria’s high-country region.

According to the RACV, the trials were popular with private individuals and motoring companies, attracting up to 60 entrants to each event.

WHAT A BEAUTY: David and Adele Cohen with their 1925 Bentley.

GOOD TIMES: Chris Terdich (left) and Allan Willingham drove this 1924 Bugatti T23 Brescia to Bright. Mr Terdich’s grandfather Arthur Terdich was one of the original Alpine Trial racers in 1921 and went on to win the Australian grand Prix in 1929.

READY TO TRAVEL: Colin Hardasyde with his 1928 Chevrolet Tourer.

A FAMILY AFFAIR: Geoff Adams (right) with his 1922 three litre Bentley, and his sons Henry (left) and George Adams.

PHOTOS: Brodie Everist

Flood Waste Waivers Available

If

Applications

www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Services/Report-

council@wangaratta.vic.gov.au

Flood

TradeMutt Shirts

You may see Council staff in loud shirts – it’s a conversation starter.

We are thrilled to partner with TradeMutt to start the conversation about mental health at work and in the community.

Here are some of our Grit and Resilience Program team spending a moment to have a conversation about mental health and wellbeing, and we would like you to join in too.

Start a conversation about mental health and wellbeing in your workplace, with your friends and with your family. If you want to get really loud grab a TradeMutt shirt for yourself with a crazy 20% discount using the code CITYOFWANGARATTA20 at https://bit.ly/3DnnUzk

Mental health is a conversation for everyone.

Kiwanis Park

Rural City of Wangaratta is looking to subdivide and sell part of the land in Kiwanis Park area, and to use the proceeds of sale to develop the Bindall Avenue Reserve. This will include the installation of a new playspace, improvements to pathways, parking, shade and amenities, and improvements to the oval.

Rezoning of the land for residential purposes will have to occur prior to any subdivision and sale of land.

Before Council proceeds to subdivide and sell the land we are seeking feedback from the community.

Status: Council is gathering feedback from the community until 18 November 2022

Land included: 34-42 Mather Street Wangaratta, known as Kiwanis Park, and land at Bindall Avenue known as Bindall Avenue Reserve

To view the proposed plans and have your say please go to: https://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/ Development/Our-projects/Kiwanis-Park-andBindall-Avenue-Reserve

Glenrowan Lions Park closed for works

Glenrowan Lions Park is closed to the public. This includes the BBQ and playground. The temporary toilet facilities will remain open. The Park will reopen on completion of the works in late November.

Australia Day Nominations

If you can think of a person, a group or an event that deserve recognition of their great contribution to our community, nominate them for an Australia Day award!

Nominations are open until 4pm on Friday 4 November 2022 and can be made at https://www.wangaratta. vic.gov.au/Residents/Events/Australia-Day-Awards2023-Nominations

at 2pm Wednesday 9 Nov 2022

C37753 - Cheshunt Streetscape Re-development Tender closes at 2pm Friday 11 Nov 2022

Further details may be obtained by visiting https://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/ Working-with-Council

at 5.00pm on Wednesday 16th November, 2022.

BUSINESS:

1. To confirm the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held 19th November, 2021.

2. To receive the Financial Statements and Auditor’s Report thereon.

3. To appoint nine (9) directors to the Board of Merriwa Industries Limited.

In accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association, the following members retire from the position of Director and are eligible to offer themselves for reelection:

Christine CUNNINGHAM

John JOYCE Matthew JOYCE

Janathan

LARGE 2 bedroom

carport,

in a quiet court,

person/couple.

104 Appin Street, Wangaratta. Saturday 29, 7.30am - 1pm. bodyworkx, weight bench, industrial overlocker, generator, books, wools, rocking chairs, petrol edges, dvds, cds and heaps more.

To Visit Visited GARAGE sale, 45 Evans Street, Wangaratta, 8am-1pm, no early birds.

FREE Range Hens, ISA Brown Pullets, POL, $27 each. Phone Becky or Hugh on 5798 1868.

Phone: (03) 5723 0101

To Visit Visited HOUSEHOLD and shed clean out, Friday 8am-12noon, Saturday 8am-2pm, no early birds. 30 Mitchell Avenue, Wangaratta.

O’DONOGHUE

Nomination

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 find us on Facebook or www. danielscarpentry.com or phone 0413 660 636.

ENVIRO LIQUID

To Visit Visited NEW and pre-loved items, bric-a-brac, christmas items, household items, great christmas gifts, vegetable plants. 7A Bowser Crescent, Wangaratta. 7am start, no early birds. Saturday 29 October.

To Visit Visited SATURDAY, October 29, 8am start, 67 Vincent Road, Wangaratta. Drum kit, speakers, remote control cars, gemstones, furniture, punching bag, sofa bed, fish tank, bric-a-brac.

4.

The

Members

WASTE. Your locally owned and operated septic cleaning business. Servicing septics, grease traps, triple interceptors and winery waste. Phone Peter 0419 163 420.

PAINTER, old school, for all your painting needs. Commercial, industrial renovations. Phone Julian 0412 597 482.

To Visit Visited SATURDAY, October 29, 1884 WangarattaKilfeera Road, Hansonville, 8am12pm. Household items including couches, TV’s, beds, white goods, cutlery, crockery, various tools and much more.

To Visit Visited

Administration/Finance Officer

About us: Brown Family Wine Group is one of Australia’s most loved and respected wine companies built on over 130 years’ experience in quality winemaking, market leading innovation and family values that are at the heart of everything we do as a business.

Our portfolio has grown over time to now include market leading wine brands such as: Devil’s Corner from the East Coast of Tasmania, Tamar Ridge and Pirie from Tamar Valley Tasmania, Innocent Bystander from the Yarra Valley and of course Brown Brothers from Milawa Victoria the spiritual home of our business.

We are extremely proud to produce a brand portfolio of wines that boasts Australia’s #1 White Wine, Australia’s #1 Premium Prosecco, and Australia’s #1 Pinot Noir together with numerous award-winning wines across several varietals that consumers continue to love.

At Brown Family Wine Group, we are passionate about both our quality wines and our amazing people, and we remain committed to the core family values of our company being: Wellbeing, Respect, Innovation and Pride in What We Achieve Together. We are proud that our business has recently been certified as “A Great Place to Work” and remain committed to honouring this recognition throughout all aspects of the business.

What’s involved: This predominantly Accounts Receivable role involves providing financial, administrative and clerical support for the Financial Accountant and Team as part of the day to day running of the Brown Family Wine Group Finance Department.

This is a full-time role, but we are open to part time for the perfect person.

Some of your responsibilities will include:

Ensure the company receives payments in from approved debtors as well as verifying and posting receipts and resolving any discrepancies.

Assist with point-of-sale banking and receipting in cellar door and restaurants.

Be a point of contact for all Accounts Receivable. Maintaining the new and existing customer address book and credit worthiness.

Maintain debt controls by monitoring held order requests. Generate and distribute month account statements. Manage tenant rent and other charges and follow up outstanding debts Assist Accounts Payable with invoice entry when time allows

About you: You don’t need to have experience in Finance or Accounts Receivable - we can provide you with training. What’s more important is that you have the following: Excellent organisational & communication skills. Eye for detail and the ability to think through issues. Ability to work as part of a customer focused team. Good computer skills, with proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office. Current Drivers’ License.

What’s on offer: For the successful candidate we offer a great work culture, a competitive salary and generous product discounts just to name a few! Please send your application to careers@brownfwg.com.au

The College

following position:

Junior School (Primary) Teacher

Commencing in Term One, 2023

Please refer to our website for more information. Enquiries regarding the position can be directed to Mr Greg Newbold, gnewbold@cathedralcollege.vic.edu.au. Applications are to be forwarded to: The Principal, Mr Nick Jones at principal@cathedralcollege.vic.edu.au by 5.00 pm Friday, November 4, 2022

Cathedral

VINTAGE CASUALS

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE WINE INDUSTRY? WOULD YOU BE AVAILABLE FOR UP TO EIGHT WEEKS? DO YOU HAVE A GOOD LEVEL OF HEALTH AND FITNESS?

If so, this may be an opportunity to join our winery team for the 2023 Vintage.

About us: Brown Family Wine Group is one of Australia’s most loved and trusted wine companies. With premium vineyards in Victoria and Tasmania, our family of wines has now grown to five brands - Brown Brothers, Devil’s Corner, Pirie, Tamar Ridge, and Innocent Bystander. We are passionate about our wines and our core values of Wellbeing, Respect, Innovation and Pride in What We Achieve Together. We have been certified as “A Great Place to Work” and are committed to honouring this recognition throughout all aspects of the business

About the Opportunities: The following vacancies exist in the following areas for suitably skilled people to join Brown Family Wine Group for the 2023 Vintage. The period of employment may be up to 8 weeks (depending upon the season), commencing in early February 2023 with an anticipated finish date of mid-April. There is an expectation that you would make yourself available for the whole of this period. The successful candidates will be required to work shift work and be available to work weekends (penalty rates will apply).

CELLAR HANDS: Responsibilities include a wide range of basic winery processing duties so experience in working with pumps and other winery equipment would be an advantage. Good health is essential, as much of the work is physically demanding, requiring an excellent level of fitness. Attention to detail, good hygiene, housekeeping and safety are also essential.

FORKLIFT OPERATORS: There are some specific roles for forklift operators so a License to Perform High Risk Work (forklift license) and at least 12 months forklift driving experience is essential to be considered for the forklift operator roles.

LABORATORY ASSISTANTS: Responsibilities include routine sampling and analysis, testing of grape samples and maintaining laboratory records. Good hygiene, housekeeping and safety are essential. Previous experience in a laboratory or Year 12 chemistry study would be an advantage. To be successful in any of these positions, you must be able to work as part of a team, however there is an expectation that you can work independently in various situations.

What’s on offer: Above award wages, penalty rates and eligibility to access product discounts. Training will be provided to the successful applicant. If any of these roles interest you and you believe you have the skills and experience to be successful, then we would love to hear from you!

Please indicate clearly in your application which role you are applying for – Cellar Hand/Forklift Operator/ Laboratory Assistant.

Position descriptions for either position may be obtained by telephoning (03) 57 205 500.

Wangaratta Taxis DRIVERS WANTED

If you like driving, why not give driving a taxi a go!

All you need is a full drivers licence, unrestricted, be over 25 years of age, get a police check and a medical.

We as a company will pay for you to get your Taxi Drivers Licence, help with lodging forms and supply a uniform for you to get started. The position is open to driving a taxi car and or a maxi taxi.

Shift work is a requirement and applicants would need to be flexible with their availability as Wangaratta Taxis is a 24/7 operating service.

If you want to have a go, send your resume to Wangaratta Taxis email: sixat12@bigpond.com or for enquiries phone 0407 216 025.

WE ARE HIRING!

Due to growth in our company we are seeking an enthusiastic and ambitious Property Management Assistant or Property Manager to join our team on a full time basis. The successful applicant must have exceptional customer service skills, be prepared to undertake ongoing professional development and be a part of a team.

Preferred applicants will have: essential communication skills and ability to build personal client relationships

If you are ready for a rewarding career in real estate and want to work in a fun team, please forward your cover letter and resume

information about this role, please do not 0447 347 971.

Applications close Wednesday, 23rd November.

Morris Bros YOUR REIV AGENT

29 Rowan Street, Wangaratta

REECE TRADE

COUNTER

Reece Plumbing Wangaratta has a

for a

helping

Literacy

REGISTERED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT OF NURSING (RUSON)

Fixed Term Contracts available at 0.20 EFT per position.

they need

the

effectively every

and some computer skills required Team player with exceptional safety awareness

This is your chance to secure a permanent, full-time role. You’ll enjoy a variety of different tasks across

week.

your resume in to 86 Greta Road, Wangaratta or email to 3078@reece.com.au

We currently have opportunities for Registered Undergraduate Students of Nursing to be a part of our Acute and Residential Aged Care Unit.

To apply for a RUSON position you must have successfully completed 12 months of a Bachelor of Nursing Degree and be registered with AHPRA. Application instructions can be found on our website.

For further information please contact Angela Clement, Director Clinical Services(03)5728 0316

Closing Dates: 11/11/2022

As we are an Aged Care Facility, the COVID 19 vaccinations and booster vaccination is mandatory for all

of

in

All staff who

a

To apply and for full details on the

please log on to: www.beechworthhealthservice.com.au

Closing Dates: 11/11/2022

2005 Mercedes Benz M L500, auto, very good condition,

2010 Mazda 3

Great first car, automatic, rego (XYM361), RWC available, full

history, 269,500km, .

EMPLOYMENT

1994 Fleetwoo

15’

of

for

work,

(U36737), $9500.

North East Media, publisher of the award winning Wangaratta Chronicle, is currently seeking expressions of interest from motivated candidates

join the team in Wangaratta as a cadet journalist.

The cadetship is ideally suited for a Year 12 graduate.

It is for three years, including course study by correspondence from Deakin University.

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

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

Candidates must have excellent verbal and written English, sound computer skills, solid general knowledge, a genuine interest in the local community, and an ability to build rapport and networks quickly.

You will need to be well organised, able to work to deadlines, and have strong attention to detail.

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

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

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

ON WORMS

for

TYRES new and secondhand, trailer, rims, wreckiing. New hours 9am to 5pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 44 Newman Street, Wangaratta. Ph 0428 257 221. Adzam Tyres.

MARINE

MOTOR VEHICLES

CARAVANS

CAMPERS

from

~

DEATH NOTICES

BARTLETT Peter Harold

Former husband of Pat.

Loved husband of Doreen.

Step father and father-in-law to Donna and Michael, Lola and Stephen, Darren and Frances.

Father and father-in-law to Greg and Olivia, Vicki and Brooke.

Private cremation.

BARTLETT, Peter.

BARTON, John Neil (Neil).

19/5/1926 – 22/10/2022

Only son of John Edward and Emily Kathleen (nee Gooch) Barton (both dec).

Dearly loved and loving husband of Maureen (nee Birse) (dec).

Formerly of Rathlyn, Meadow Creek, Victoria, and Farnborough and Zizlie (QLD).

Neil passed away peacefully aged 96 at Rockhampton.

Now at peace, reunited with his beloved Maureen.

~ Meg and Wendy.

NOTICES DEATH NOTICES

BERTUCH, Olive May.

Late of Wangaratta and formally of Harcourt. 4/3/1927 – 24/10/2022

Aged 95 years.

Loved wife of Keith (Dec) for 66 years.

Loved mother of Bryan, Valerie (Ellis), Colin, Robyn (Greene) and Leanne.

Loved mother-in-law of Barry, Ken and Donna.

Loved Grandma of Dean, Michelle, Lisa, Helen, Ian, Kaylene, Lee, Chris, Kym, Natalie, Jacquie, and Amanda.

Great Grandma of 15 grandchildren and Great Great Grandma of 1.

Loved mother of Bryan. Grandma of Dean and Sandra, Michelle and Lisa (Bertuch).

Loved Great Grandma of Holly and Jackson.

Loved mother and mother-in-law of Val and Barry (Ellis).

Grandma of Helen and Richard (Young), Ian and Stephanie (Ellis), Kaylene and Andrew (Friebel).

Great Grandma of Caitlin, Michael, Aleisha, Chelsea, Amelia, Anna and Isaac.

Great Great Grandma of Azalea.

Time slips by, but memories last forever, You were the glue that held us together.

Rest in peace.

Loved mother and mother-in-law of Robyn and Ken (Greene).

Grandma of Natalie and Troy (Wiseman), Jacquie and Darren (Flett), Amanda and David Hatswell, Great Grandma of Zari, Kami, Tayla, Abbey, Miller, Henry, Eli, and Olive.

Loved mother and mother-in-law of Colin and Donna (Bertuch).

Grandma of Lee and Lisa (Bertuch), Chris and Lauren, and Kym.

Great Grandma of Ella, Archie, Chloe and Alyssa.

Will miss your witty humour. A lifetime of memories. Forever in our hearts. Rest in peace.

Loved mother of Leanne. A gentle nature, a heart of gold, One of the best this world could hold.

The family would like to thank St Johns aged care for their compassionate and loving care of Olive.

MAXTON, Jennifer Catherine (Jedda). 11/5/1953 – 24/10/2022

just as she wanted.

She will be so missed. Please see later paper for funeral details.

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

CRAVEN, Shayla Grace. 25/6/2001-26/10/2022

Dearly loved granddaughter of Elaine.

Grandma’s precious love.

Sympathy and great admiration for a wonderful mother Brigitte and caring, loving father Gavin.

~ Mum and all the Craven family.

McALIECE, Raymond.

The members of the Probus Club of Wangaratta West Combined would like to extend their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ray McAliece.

Ray was a much valued member of our club and will be sadly missed by all. Rest in peace.

SANDERSON, Warren (Wozzy).

A true friend gone too soon and greatly missed.

Love to Lesley and family.

~ From Peter and Janet.

Friday morning

SANDERSON, Warren.

A former respected and valued member of the Rotary Club of Milawa Oxley.

Deepest Sympathy to Lesley and family.

SANDERSON, Warren.

Thanks for a lifetime of memories that we will always treasure.

Our sympathy and love to Lesley and family.

~ Lance and Patti Bulluss.

An alternative to flowers at a funeral of a loved one is a memorial donation. Family and friends can make a donation in lieu of flowers in recognition of the care and attention provided by Northeast Health Wangaratta. For more information please contact ourCommunity Engagement Team (03) 5722 5069 or PO Box 386, Wangaratta, Vic 3676.

FUNERALS

BERTUCH

The Funeral Service for Mrs Olive May Bertuch will be held in the Wangaratta Uniting Church, 10 Rowan Street, Wangaratta on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 10.30am. Burial will follow at the Wangaratta Lawn Cemetery.

Funeral will be available to view via Livestream at www.masonpark.com.au/live-streaming/

BEREAVEMENT THANKS

AITKEN, Keith Nelson.

Christine and Paul and their families wish to sincerely thank everyone for their kind the sad loss of our Dad/Pa Keith. Please accept this as our personal thanks.

FISCHER, Margaret Mary. 18/12/1939 – 25/10/2021

Remembering you is easy As we think about you often, We do it every day. Missing you is the heartache That never goes away. Forever in our hearts Til we meet again.

~ Love always Clarrie, Kaylene, Janelle and Tania. xxxx

KNIGHT, Cory John.

November 1, 2020

Cory, two years has passed since you left.

Though I can’t see you, your memories live on.

I sit beside you every day and shed a tear.

Love and miss you so much.

~ Love Mum.

LANGSHAW, Marian Alma. 16/8/1933-29/10/2020

Those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, yet always near, So loved, so missed and very dear. Forever in our hearts.

~ Your daughters Colleen and Jan, and their families.

Instead of flowers, a Memorial Gift

SCOREBOARD

JUBILEE GOLF CLUB

THURSDAY, October 20

Pairs championship aggregate stroke

Champions: Ros White and Ange Mitchell 192.

Nett Winners: Ros White and Ange Mitchell 148.

Ball winners: Melody Adams and Linda Stone 152, Robyn Grealy and Josie Fitzsimons 156.

NTP: 8th Ange Mitchell, 17th Josie Fitzsimons.

Sunday, October 23

Stableford

A Grade Wade Goodwin 37. B Grade Matt Sanders 40.

Ball winners: Daniel McPhee (2) 36, Jacob Schonafinger 34, Daryl Johnstone 34, Jack Reiter 32, Richard Arnold 32.

Monday, October 24

Stableford Veterans

Winner: Keith Moorhead 37;

Ball winners: Brian Carr 36, Bill O’Brien 34, Alex Gibbs 34; NTP: 8th Andy Walker, 13th Bill O’Brien.

NTP: 4th Daniel McPhee, 8th Felix Gamze, 13th Wade Goodwin, 17th Richard Arnold

Wednesday, October 26

Stableford

A Grade Winner: Neville Hogan 36.

B Grade Winner Alex Gibbs 36; Ball winners - Mitch Howe (2) 35, Nigel Cooper 35, Joe Marjanovic 34, Martin Van Rhee 33.

NTP: 4th Gordon Paterson, 8th Ric Chivers, 13th Ian Mills, 17th Joe Marjanovic.

WANGARATTA GOLF CLUB

MEN’S Competition

October 19

9 hole Stableford

Winner: Matt Nicolosi 17.

Runner Up: Bill Dodd 15.

NTP: 11th Dean Campagna, 13th Arnold Sparks, 16th Kurt Schubert.

Womens Competition: October 20

Womens 9 Hole Stableford

Winner: Caroline Sullivan 18.

Runner Up: Jan Hill 17.

Ball Winners: Julie McInnes, Helen

Tate.

Men’s Competition: October 22

A Grade Winner: Glen Seymour 40.

A Grade Runner Up: Chris Martens 35 C/B.

Ball Winners: Michael Webster, Kurt Schubert, Jason McCoy, Brannan Duffy, Mitchell Solimo, Mark White, Arnold Sparks.

B Grade Winner: Alastair McLean.

B Grade Runner up: Lachy Moore.

NTP: 4th Michael Webster

NTP: 7th Trevor Clark, 9th David Ferguson, 11th Chris Martens (dominos voucher), Jason McCoy, 16th Alastair McLean ($15 Apco Voucher).

Secret 6: Russell Wallace.

Birdie: Michael Webster. Raffle: Colin Walker.

TARRA GOLF CLUB

TARRAWINGEE Golf Club results Saturday, October 22

Due to the wet conditions a three person ambrose was played on a

par three composite course with the winners being Manny Tanirau, Pete Nolan and Lucia DePos - 56-11-45.

The runners up were Ken Miller, Leo McCoy and Fay Phillips - 57-9-48.

Once again there were no nearest the pins for the day.

Golf to be played on Saturday, October 29 will be decided on the day depending on the condition of the course.

Hit off times for Tarrawingee are 11:30am rollup for a 12noon start.

New members are always welcome at the Tarrawingee golf club with a first year membership of $100.00 and $60.00 for juniors the contact number is 0428122590 or by contacting a member of the club.

PICKLEBALL

RESULTS round two:

Section 1: Tim Oliver 46 - 22, Shankar Menon 38 - 34, Bryan Wilson 37 - 36, Carol O’Brien 33 - 30,

Amanda Hibbert 16 - 48.

Section 2: Les Goudie 48 - 22, Neville Bell 35 - 35, Klaus Kazenwadel 32 - 38, Ken Rogers 25 - 45.

Section 3: Steve Johnston 48 - 39, Mandy Hanratty 43 - 44, Tim Dickinson 43 - 44, Tracy Loyst 40 - 47.

Section 4: Ken Gaudion 39 - 26, Chris Jamieson 39 - 32, Graeme Cripps 38 - 30, Andrea Wearne 3636, Jennifer Reid 22 - 4.

Best 14 scores: Oliver, Tim 86/53, Menon, Shankar 86/62, Johnston, Steve 81/72, Dickinson, Tim 76/85, Gaudion, Ken 71/65, Bell, Neville 71/69, Wearne, Andrea 68/72, Kazenwadel, Klaus 64/85, Rogers, Ken 55/91, Reid, Jennifer 52/90, Chivers, Tyson 48/17, Goudie, Les 48/22, Hanratty, Mandy 43/44, Loyst, Tracy 40/47, Jamieson, Chris 39/32, Cripps, Graeme 38/30, Wilson, Bryan 37/36, O’Brien, Carol 33/30, Hibbert, Amanda 16/4.

CROQUET

RESULTS for Monday, October 24 are as follows:

Heather Gulbin and Elise Downes d Susan Fischer and Elaine Mudge 7/5, Julie Davey and Nathan Reynolds d Wendy Waddington and Terry Wilson 7/6,Robyn Muller and Joan Dyson d Janet Kelly and Gavan Kelly 6/5.

On Wednesday, six members attended and enjoyed some close games in the damp conditions with drizzle on and off through our games.

Due to the wet weather, we only had two courts available to play on. Play will be on Saturday at 1pm.

Playing time changes on Monday, October 31 to 9am, with twilight play at 6pm on Wednesday evenings.

We also change to white trousers/ slacks/shorts from October 31.

Visitors are welcome.

Please arrive 15 minutes early to allow for the draw to be done.

Late arrivals will be included in the next game.

For further information please contact one of the numbers listed below.

President Janet Kelly 0429166016 or captain Lauren Kazenwadel on 0455023538.

WAREENA PARK BOWLS

ROUND two saw Wareena Park travel down to Swanpool for what was to be an expected tough contest.

Match one (Terry, Neil, Gerda and Jim) hit the front early and were never headed to win 18 to 14.

Match two (Walter, Barry, Lola and Jenni) played very consistently and eventually held out a determined opposition to win 19 to 17.

Match three (Anna, Betty, Alice and Jenni) tried hard all day but unfortunately nothing went their way and lost 38 to 6.

This gaveSwanpool an overall win of 69 shots to 53.

Best players Neil Reid, Walter Brett and Alice Dobson.

Next round we are at home to Corowa RSL on the Wednesday due to Melbourne Cup being on the Tuesday.

LONG RANGE: Mike McCann lines up a long putt at the Jubilee Golf Club.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

RYLEY DALTON

MAX BIHUN

WANGARATTA Chronicle photographer Melissa Beattie made her way down junior basketball on Saturday to capture some action. Photographs can be purchased at the Chronicle.

JAYDEN WHITEHOUSE

JETT PAUL

LACHLAN BARBOUR

COOPER NEWTON

Lady Warriors return to court for double header

AFTER almost a month on the bench, Wangaratta’s women will be back on the court for round five of the Country Basketball League with not one, but two matches slated for this weekend.

The Lady Warriors haven’t hit the court since round one on October 1, when they lost 69-43 to Wodonga Lady Wolves.

Since then, two scheduled byes and a league-wide cancelled round due to flooding across the state’s north have forced Wangaratta to train hard and train often, which is exactly what they’ve done.

Coach Scott Butler said the time away from competitive play has given his squad a much-needed edge.

“I actually think the time

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

off has worked in our favour, to tell you the truth,” he said.

“We’re still hitting the court hard and training, we’ve still got our training runs we’re doing, but I think there’s a lot more confidence in the girls now with what we’re running and how we’re going to go about our defence and our different defences we’re going to be running against different teams.

“We were ready for Wallan when we were going to go up against them, but in saying that, the prepara-

tion’s been good for us too.”

The Lady Warriors face a difficult weekend of action, with an away game against Shepparton Gators on Saturday followed by a Sunday match against the Myrtleford Saints.

“We think we’ll match up well against Shepparton but I’m not too sure about Myrtleford because they’ve had an up and a down game,” Butler said.

“They’re a mystery team at the moment, we don’t know how they’re going to go.

“The Reidy girls (Taylah and Jorja) have been really stepping up to the plate - they’ve been out of the game for a little bit so I think they’re really enjoying hitting the court again.

“It’s been pretty consistent across the board and that’s what we want.

“Our first game we played, the positive was that everyone scored, and that’s only going to get stronger and stronger.

“We’re looking forward to getting this weekend out of the way and see where we stand.

“It’s going to be good to hit the court and hopefully we can start to slowly move up the ladder”

You can catch the Lady Warriors in action on the court on Saturday at the Shepparton Sports Stadium from 5pm tomorrow, or at the Wangaratta Indoor Sports and Aquatic Centre from 12pm on Sunday.

Warriors resume interrupted campaign

WANGARATTA Warriors’ Country Basketball League campaign resumes this Sunday with a clash against Myrtleford awaiting.

After a bye in round four and round three being abandoned due to floods, the Warriors haven’t played since round two when they fronted up in a doubleheader, downing Mansfield but losing to Wodonga.

Wangaratta now look in for a chance to grab their second victory of the season against the Saints who have fell to the highly touted Benalla (71-87) and Albury (81-91).

Warriors coach Adam Maher said it’s been a frustrating start to the season.

“If it’s not the pandemic it’s not having a court to train on or it’s the floods,” Maher said.

“Our men’s team decided to start training at Benalla and now their court is out due to the floods so it just seems to be one thing before another at the moment.

“It’s definitely not an easy season but we’ve just got to be mindful that even though things are against us we can still achieve something.”

The Saints will be no easy beats with the likes of Tyler Barker and Toby Cossor expected to line-up.

Barker, a Wangaratta product, shot a whopping 30 points in his side’s first match against Benalla, followed by 25 against Albury.

“I thought Myrtleford might’ve been a younger side but they’ve definitely got depth there,” Maher said.

“Tyler Barker is actually from Wangaratta and a

BY WILLSON MACK wmack@ nemedia.com.au

- WARRIORS COACH ADAM MAHER

player that we’re proud to play against so we’ll have to give him plenty of respect.

“He’s shown that you can’t leave him open because he’ll score but I guess we’ve got the inside edge because we know how he plays.

“Defence is a real focus of mine and will once again be something that we need to do well.”

The Warriors could build some much-needed confidence with a win on Sunday, possibly taking their record to two wins and one loss.

“No doubt a win this weekend would give our young side plenty of confidence,” Maher said.

“It would just show them that we can mix it with teams in this competition.

“We do have a few hard games coming up so a bit of confidence would be great.”

Wangaratta meet Myrtleford at 2pm at home on Sunday.

BIG CLASH: Sam Maher and Wangaratta Warriors face Myrtleford at home on Sunday.

PHOTO: Melissa Beattie

BACK ON COURT: Jorja Reidy and the Lady Warriors make their return to CBL action this weekend, with a double header of matches.

It’s definitely not an easy season but we’ve just got to be mindful that even though things are against us we can still achieve something.

Junior cricketers in holding pattern

By NATHAN DE VRIES

AS cricketers across the North East battle frustratingly wet weather conditions hampering the start to the season, juniors of the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association have no choice but to wait to get the season underway.

The WDCA’s junior competition consists of 15 under 12 sides, 11 under 14 teams and eight under 16 squads, meaning roughly 374 kids are missing out on their formative years preparing them for senior cricket.

With sunny days capable of drying out grounds around the area not on the forecast for as long, long time, watching the T20 World Cup is the closest

they’ll get to a game for a while.

WDCA secretary and junior cricket liaison Wayne Cooper said the season was simply a victim of poor weather.

“I think everyone understands that we’re in a position where there’s not a lot we can do about it,” he said.

“We’re continuing to work with clubs to move games where we need to, clubs have been really good with that.

“For cricket to start, we need some finer weather because at the moment, it’s raining every day and the grounds aren’t drying out.

“It’s the same for senior cricket - I suppose we have to think about other things,

Wet weather taking its toll

By WILLSON MACK

ROVERS United Bruck (RUB) skipper Paddy McNamara has admitted the start to the cricket season has been incredibly difficult.

With rain continuing to cause havoc across the state, the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association 2022/23 season still hasn‘t started despite this weekend being round three.

Saturday‘s play was cancelled on Thursday afternoon, with the association stating 16 venues were unavailable, while the remaining grounds were either saturated with water or unprepared for play.

“It‘s been a really difficult start to the year, everyone‘s excited to play but when you‘re calling off training and games week–to–week it‘s hard to maintain that eagerness,” McNamara said.

“You can go a week without seeing each other, which has been hard, but we‘ve been trying to keep everyone together.

“Last Saturday we all got together even though we didn‘t play so it‘s important that we continue to do things like that.”

RUB were scheduled to meet Benalla at WJ Findlay Oval but, with the round called off, it should allow ground staff to hopefully prepare a turf deck for when play is allowed.

“Our ground isn‘t ready,” McNamara said.

“We got the mower and roller on it last week but since then the covers have been on and it hasn‘t been touched.

“Everyone‘s going to be a bit rusty but we‘re all just keen for a hit so we‘ll just be focusing on making sure we enjoy it.”

All players will be disappointed about how the start of the season has gone but none more than RUB import Koot Pienaar who has come to Australia from England as an import.

“Everyone else has other things to do but for Koot he has come here to play cricket so it‘s been really difficult on him,” McNamara said.

“We need to keep everyone together for Koot.”

weather, we’re just waiting for it to dry out.”

With a lack of junior cricket played so far, Cooper said there would be more than enough time to evaluate and raise squads for representative play, such as the City vs Country matches and Country Week, set for NovemberDecember.

“We’ll be sending out nominations this week for junior representative cricket, which is a bit hard when they haven’t played yet but we’ve had to stick to our timeline,” he said.

them around so the under 12s get an actual weekmost clubs know their good players already.

“City vs Country is traditionally the Wangaratta clubs, sometimes we put Benalla in there too, playing the other clubs.

“It’s really just the best 24 kids across the association who play in that game and we pick our squads, so we ask for nominations from each club.

we’ve had Benalla going through flooding, but when it comes to wet grounds we have to think about players’

safety, that’s something we have to take into consideration.

“We can’t control the

“We have our representative dates put in place, our City vs Country dates on November 13 for under 12s, and November 20 for the other age groups.

“However, we may swap

“We do also have in place already matches against Shepparton and Murray Valley on December 4 and 11.”

With the chances of playing this weekend ruled out, cricketers across the association will be praying the sun comes out sooner rather than later.

Cricket arvo teas are finally back

By NATHAN DE VRIES

REGARDLESS of when weather permits a return to local play, cricketers across the region can rest assured their afternoon teas will make a grand return as soon as possible.

A staple of any afternoon cricket competition - and no doubt the reason why some players want to play at allarvo teas were suspended under Cricket Victoria’s return to play policy in the aftermath of COVID-19 restrictions last year, due to fear of spreading the virus.

In the past season, players had to be content with bringing their own food, eating in isolation from their teammates with no real social cohesion, as opposed to enjoying a spread provided by the home side.

Now, with restrictions eased, cricketers from both sides of a match are once again allowed to come together at the halfway point of the day’s play, share a laugh and more importantly some delicious grub.

In previous years, Milawa Cricket Club has a reputation across the association for putting on an impressive spread, and B grade skipper Callum Honey is making sure this tradition continues.

“A lot of people who have experienced a Milawa arvo tea will say it’s up there with the best, it’s one of the prides of the club,” he said.

“Arvo teas are important as it brings a social aspect to the game and lets you take your mind of the seriousness of the game.

“Volunteers are the key to having a successful arvo tea because without them it’s a scrambled mess.

“But a box of Shapes at an arvo tea should be a criminal offence, full stop.”

Information and guidelines about afternoon teas and more is available at https:// www.cricketvictoria.com.au/ clubs-support/covid-19/covid19-faqs.

DAMPENED SPIRITS: Junior and senior cricketers have no choice but to wait for drier weather to get their seasons underway.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

WASHED OUT: Jacob Schonafinger’s

Rovers United Bruck were set to meet Benalla this weekend before the round was cancelled.

PHOTO: Melissa Beattie

Local Little Athletics are off and running

By WILLSON MACK

WANGARATTA Little Athletics is off and running for the 2022/23 season.

Despite wet weather looking threatening, the club pushed through to host their first Friday night of competition last week.

More than 170 athletes have registered for the new season and Wangaratta Little Athletics president Alison Ballard couldn’t be more pumped for the season ahead.

“We’ve got 176 registered athletes and would’ve had between 150 and 200 people down at the athletics track last Friday, which was awesome,” Ballard said.

“It was a great night of competition and was the first time we’ve had our pre-COVID scheduling.

“Somehow we dodged the weather and had a great night.”

With bumper numbers at the club this season, Ballard believes the recent Commonwealth Games had something to do with it.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure why our numbers are so good but it could be something to do with the Common-

wealth Games being in Australia recently,” she said.

“There would’ve been so many young athletes watching it, I know my seven-year-old was loving it.

“She was watching the high jump and kept asking if she could do it.”

Wangaratta Little Athletics have a

busy few months ahead with carnivals at Murray Valley (Finley), Kooringal-Wagga, Deniliquin and Lake Illawara ahead.

Ballard said the new-look committee is purely focused on developing their athletes.

“We’re a new committee but

we’re just there to make sure that kids have an option to play a sport that’s not a team sport,” she said.

“We just want to build on what the previous committee have done and make Wangaratta Little Athletics a safe place where kids can develop.”

Milawa’s new leaders lean into familiar family strengths

■ From back page

“We have a bit to work on, obviously, I think with our core group that we have plus a few that we’ve already added, it’s looking pretty promising for us next year.

“Fitness next season’s going to be a massive thing, so we’ll have a massive preseason.

“All the boys seem up and about so we’re looking forward to it.”

The off-season has been lucrative for the Demons, locking in the signatures of Myrtleford players Jarryd Wallace and Liam Byrne, both of whom have fathers who played under the Grand Old Flag in the past, and mates who play there now.

For Graham, the goal is building the current crop of younger players into future leaders.

“I’m a big believer in delegation of roles, in giving people the opportunity to have their strengths show, and with Ben still being a player, the right time was going to be now, Rick Petts has provided a strong foundation for Milawa, Ben and myself to progress with,” he said.

“We both have a very, very strong relationship on the field and off the field, and believe football should be played the same way.

“That’s where working together is a great partnership - my off-field suits his on-field very well.

Milawa racquetball season drawing to close

By JOAN MAHER

MONDAY night racquetball has only two weeks left for this season.

All players seem to have improved dramatically and matches are close and most seem

to go to three games.

Finals begin on November 14 and the grand final for both the Thursday night squash and the Monday night racquetball will be held on Friday, November 25.

All players and families are welcome and we will once again

be hosting our usual family night barbeque with presentations and raffle prizes.

Tuesday night saw the club’s AGM and as a result of the fantastic job they have been doing, the official’s positions remain unchanged - with Greg

Clydesdale president, Steven Collins vice president, Gayle Roman secretary and Liz Proft as treasurer.

The club also has a strong committee with some new and some remaining which is a healthy balance.

Zac Hedin appointed AFLNEB boss

By WILLSON MACK

WANGARATTA’S Zac Hedin has been appointed as the head of AFL North East Border.

Hedin has been appointed as region manager of AFLNEB which oversees all leagues in the area after being involved with the governing body in different roles over the past four years.

He has worked in various roles at AFLNEB including AFL Victoria Participation Coordinator

for the North East region, Football Development Manager in Wodonga and League Manager for the Ovens and King Football Netball League and Wangaratta District Junior Football League.

Hedin said he’s excited to be stepping into the top job.

“I’ve been working in the industry in the region for the past four or five years in various league manager and participation positions,” he said.

“Now that I’ve moved into the

region manager position I’m excited to get going.”

After studying sports management in Ballarat, Hedin moved back to Wangaratta in 2016.

“I went to university in Ballarat and studied sports management, working within various sectors of Dandenong Basketball.

“I moved back in 2016 and worked as league manager of the Ovens and King League and Wangaratta District Junior Football League, working with clubs

and doing admin for about one and a half years.

“I then went into a football management role in Wodonga and then COVID hit, coming out of COVID, the role changed to working with Auskick and growing those numbers around the region, delivering football clinics to schools.”

Hedin’s role will entail driving strategic directions for the future and working collaboratively with stakeholders.

“We know Milawa has leaders in spades already, players like Josh Owen, Simon Pane, Brent Newton have all been stalwarts of the club in the past, and the phase now is transitioning to those younger leaders to create that next generation of success for Milawa.”

The Dees aim to commence preseason in late November, putting in a hard burst before Christmas before continuing in the New Year.

IN CHARGE: Zac Hedin has been appointed as region manager of AFL North East Border.

BIG SEASON: Wangaratta’s Little Athletics season has begun.

PHOTO: Wangaratta Little Athletics Facebook

HEALTHY COMPETITION: Robyn Snowden and Peter Wells go head-to-head.

ALL SMILES: Juene Gottschling and Cope Swinurne enjoyed their hit.

Bushrangers name under 16 boys’ pre-season squad

THE Murray Bushrangers have announced their 2023 NAB League under 16 boys pre-season squad.

Players across the North East Border, Goulburn Murray and Southern NSW regions were nominated by their clubs to trial for the squad which was held in Wangaratta two weeks ago.

The squad was chosen following this trial and the 2022 V-Line under 15 carnival conducted in Shepparton during the September School Holidays.

From Wangaratta, Chad Donald (Wang Magpies), Charlie Eames (Centrals), Charlie Kerwin (Centrals), Charlie Lugg (College), Cooper Newton (Wang Magpies), Oscar Roberts (Imperials) and Eden White (Tigers) were selected.

Murray Bushrangers under 16 boys assistant coach Simon Grumley is eagerly looking forward to the start of pre-season.

“We know the importance of supporting talented young footballers at this stage of their development,” Grumley said.

“In two years from now some of these players will be

weeks from joining an AFL club via the National Draft in November 2024.

“Both Oliver Hollands (Wodonga) and Brayden George (Tatura/Wangaratta Rovers) were in this position at the start of 2020.

“A combination of hard work and dedication has placed them well for this year’s AFL draft.”

Murray Bushrangers talent lead Mick Wilson outlined the gradual return to ‘normal’ for NAB League programming post COVID.

“It’s exciting to return to pre-COVID schedules within the AFL talent pathways,” Wilson said.

“Importantly, throughout COVID, local clubs provided outstanding support to players and people within their communities.

“We received more than 180 nominations for the under 16 boys squad which reflects the enthusiasm of coaches and volunteers to support their talented young footballers.”

The squad will begin preseason training in Wangaratta on Sunday, November 20.

By KURT HICKLING

contact Trevor Wolfel on 0476 891 596.

New members are most welcome.

FUTURE STAR: Wang Magpies’ Cooper Newton is one of a number of local juniors selected for Murray Bushrangers’ u16 pre-season.

The Sons of the Demon

COMMUNITY football is known for familial links, sons and brothers pulling on the same jersey as their forebears to continue representing their club, and for Milawa’s new co-coaches and leadership group, it really is all about family.

Past premiership player Matt Graham, and multi-premiership captain and best and fairest winner Ben Clarke, will combine forces to lead the Demons in 2023 with their strengths both on and off the field giving Milawa a phenomenal launching pad for this and future seasons.

Clarke, whose father and grandfather also found success with the Dees, said the coaching role felt like a natural progression.

“From thirds then into senior footy,

captain after a few years, then usually coaching is what’s going to follow, it’s really good,” he said.

“It will be different, I think there’s going to be a lot more work to do, it won’t be so much on the field.

“The best part about doing the job with Matt is he’s going to take care of a lot of the off-field stuff and I’ll take care of a lot of the on-field stuff, it should work really well.

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

HEAD DEMONS: Ben Clarke (left) and Matt Graham will lead Milawa through the 2023 Ovens and King season.

PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

EPA urges caution around floodwaters

ENVIRONMENT Protection

Authority Victoria (EPA) has issued flood recovery advice to those affected by floodwaters to be wary of pollution, asbestos and check for health risks.

EPA said the heavy rains, floods and storms over the past weeks may carry pollution into our waterways which can cause harm to those who come across it.

“Floodwater is often contaminated by sewage from overflowing sewerage or septic systems, and by agricultural or industrial wastes and chemicals,” they said.

“If possible, avoid contact with floodwaters to avoid contact with polluted water or soil.

“Always wash your hands

have issued warnings to locals who have been in contact with floodwaters to check for health risks such as asbestos and polluted waters.

with soap and running water after contact with floodwater and after handling pets or other items that may have been in contact with water or soil.

“Always wash your hands thoroughly after participating in clean-up activities.”

EPA said floods can cause harmful materials such as

asbestos to shift or become exposed.

“Be cautious when assessing and working with floodimpacted property,” they said.

“Asbestos can be found in some fibre cement sheeting and pipes, vinyl floor tiles, electrical parts and roof materials.

“It is not always possible to tell whether a material contains asbestos by looking at it.

“If you use a damaged system, there’s a risk that sewage could back up into your house or garden, which could cause a human health and pollution risk.

“If your property has a septic system and has been affected by floodwater, a licensed plumber or service technician should assess your septic system for safety and function.”

Swift action from governments on recovery support

RECOVERY support is available for people and communities affected by the October 2022 Victorian floods.

To date, 46 local government areas have been notified for assistance under the joint Commonwealth-State funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). This includes Wangaratta Rural

City, Strathbogie Shire, Indigo Shire and Alpine Shire.

According to a State Control Centre spokesperson, in determining where to activate the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and Disaster Recovery Allowance, the Federal Minister for Emergency Management takes into consideration impact data and

other information provided by the affected state regarding the levels of support that may be required.

The Australian Government is working closely with state and local governments to monitor the situation and will consider adding more locations as the ongoing damage caused by these floods is assessed.

People directly impacted by

the October 2022 Victorian floods are encouraged to apply for relief support even if their council has not been notified for assistance.

Agencies are using historical data to model where flood waters or rivers may peak and keeping a watching brief on potential weather events to inform planning for any further on-the-ground responses.

All impacted Victorians can call

McCURDY

the Flood Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760. The hotline is open from 7:30am to 7:30pm every day and can help with navigating available support, clean-up, temporary accommodation, and mental health and wellbeing support.

More information on relief support is available here: https:// www.vic.gov.au/october-2022flood-recovery.

WHAT LIES BENEATH: The murky colour of Three Mile Creek raging last weekened should remind residents that any contact with the water should be avoided.

PHOTO: Ryan Malcolm

Over in a flash

By RYAN MALCOLM

A TORRENTIAL downpour which saw almost 100mm of rain fall in a matter of minutes on the North East earlier this week has further damaged road infrastructure already under pressure.

Reports of between 60 and 90mm of rain were recorded in isolated parts of the region on Tuesday evening, with Beechworth and Yackandandah copping the brunt of a storm which lasted little more than half an hour.

Beechworth SES unit controller Charles Dean said he expected roadways throughout the region would offer dangerous conditions for motorists in the short-term.

“It was a really, really heavy fast fall - with all the catchments being saturated, the water had nowhere to go, and that’s exactly what it did,” he said.

“The areas which were hardest hit were the areas between Beechworth, Chiltern and Wooragee, but there was some flooding in Beechworth itself because of the intensity of the rain.

“There’s no way any drain system is going to cope with that

sort of thing, especially with all that’s happened (in recent weeks).

“There’s certainly potholes developing in several roads - it’s a case of over the next little while unitl the shire has some kind of chance to catch up - to really drive with care and if you see a pothole ahead, avoid it, because they can be really dangerous.”

Mr Dean said a single stretch of Beechworth-Chiltern Road between Woolshed Road and Reeds Way had quickly become inundated on Tuesday evening, with floodwater spanning as much as 30m overtopping the road and downing a large tree in the process.

He said gravel roads in the region may have also been washed away in the deluge, which personally saw him trapped at the base of his own driveway.

“When it hit I was bringing my son back from the school bus and I had to park outside my gate and my wife had to come down in the 4WD and bring my SES gear with her, because I couldn’t drive up our driveway,” he said.

“And then I was straight out on the job, and the job was only 100m up the road from me.”

He said the downpour, which

had been predicted for several days, had emphasised the need to prepare appropriately for flooding events, by clearing gutters and ensuring sandbags are available if need be.

One house in the local area suffered significant flooding, after SES crews charged with retrieving sandbags from Woolshed Road were left cut off after flash floods struck Beechworth-Chiltern Road.

“Nobody expects these flash floods so much but I think that emphasises this necessity because it comes so quickly and goes so quickly - by the time emergency services can come around and help you, the danger’s already gone and you’re either flooded or you’re not,” Mr Dean said.

“It’s just one of these things where you really need to prepare beforehand.

“There’s more thunderstorms forecast over the next few daysthey may hit us or they may not, but it wouldn’t hurt to make sure your gutters are clear.

“If you were flooded this time or you were worried about being flooded you can call SES on 132 500 about getting some sandbags prior to the event and having some ready.”

Thank you to the dedicated Volunteers & Emergency Services workers for their tireless efforts supporting our communities

JACLYN

some

long at Beechworth-Chiltern Road blocked

throughout the evening.