AN unoccupied weatherboard house at Docker was destroyed in what authorities are treating as a suspicious blaze on Saturday evening.
CFA District 23 acting commander Dean Gibson said firefighters from Moyhu, Wangaratta and Wangaratta North attended the property on the Wangaratta-Whitfield Road around 10pm, finding it well alight.
“Police remained on site all night as was considered a crime scene and we are treating the blaze as suspicious,” he said.
Police and fire investigators (pictured) were assessing the charred remains of the property on Sunday morning and said their investigation is ongoing.
PHOTO: Jeff Zeuschner
FOCUS ON CRIME
By CHLOE JAENICKE and BAILEY ZIMMERMANN
WANGARATTA and Wodonga police are jointly starting a new initiative to help combat crime, amid the latest stats showing an overall crime rise of 5.3 per cent in Wangaratta and 17 per cent in Wodonga.
The Crime Reduction Team (CRT) aims to target a handful or high offenders across Wodonga
and Wangaratta through encouraging them to engage with support services like Orange Door.
“What CRT is doing is proactively targeting offenders or persons of interest that are popping up for multiple offences,” Wangaratta Acting Inspector, Nathan Ratcliffe said.
“It won’t be just us, it’ll be all our stakeholders trying to understand the person offending and trying to provide them with the support services to prevent them
from doing crime in the future.”
Act Insp Ratcliffe said he hopes the initiative will take the pressure off front-line police.
“The Crime Reduction Team will be tasked with dealing with these people that are causing us harm on a regular basis so we can reduce the amount of offences and reduce workloads of the front-line police,” he said.
CRT is set to start operation later this year.
In Wangaratta, thefts continue to be a concern among the latest crime data with Wangaratta recording a 5.3 per cent increase in overall crime.
Over the latest 12-month period to June this year, Crime Statistics Agency figures showed there were 71 more total theft criminal incidents recorded within the Wangaratta region compared to last year.
The most common type of theft
recorded was shoplifting from a retail store, which saw a spike from 71 incidents this time last year to 112.
Act Insp Ratcliffe said the rise in shoplifting can be attributed to local operations where police have been targeting store thefts.
“It’s not actually because there’s been more crime committed, it’s actually we’re detecting more offences of theft,” he said.
■ Continued page 5
Annual Oxley Bush Market full, again, with 150 sites
THE 43rd Annual Oxley Bush Market, to be held on Saturday, November 2 is already fully booked, with more than 150 sites boasting an enormous range of home-made, home-grown, home-produced and new items. Held at the historic Oxley Shire Hall, the market has become a firm fixture on the calendar for North East residents and the many visitors to our region since 1980.
The Oxley Hall Committee,
which organises the successful event, commented that once again it had to ‘say sorry’ to numerous applicants due to product duplications or space restrictions.
Oxley Hall committee secretary Janet Heath said it never ceases to amaze the committee over the number of stallholders applying to attend.
“The products get more and more varied from year to year,” she said.
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“And, as usual, we again have many new vendors attending this year, so visitors will find something different down every aisle.”
As well as stalls selling homemade, home grown and new products, including crafts, baking, plants, preserves, Christmas wares and gifts, there will also be an extraordinary range of gourmet food from around the world to please every palate, toe-tapping music and entertainment for the kids.
A ‘Monster Raffle’ of local produce and vouchers will again be a feature of the day.
The 43rd Annual Oxley Bush Market is free entry for all and will run from 9am to 2.30pm.
Dogs are not permitted (except for Assistance Dogs), there will be a Doggy Crèche available at the front gate, where dogs will be cared for by the Oxley Fire Brigade.
For more information, visit www.oxleyhall.com or email oxleybushmarket@gmail.com.
North East farmers’ relief: dingo control measures retained
BY EMMA OLIVER eoliver@ nemedia.com.au
Livestock producers in the North East have greater certainty when it comes to wild dog control methods with the State Government confirming the dingo unprotection order will be renewed until 2028.
The order - which allows the control of dingoes on private land and along the boundaries of public land within a three kilometre buffer - had been subject to review due to claims it threatened dingo populations.
The announcement last week marked the end of the government’s 12-month review into wild dog management in the state, alleviating farmers’ concerns there would be a roll-back of critical control measures.
“Renewing the unprotection order gives stability and certainty to livestock producers in North East and Eastern Victoria, enabling them to continue to protect their livestock from dingo predation,” said Minister for Agriculture Rose Spence.
The Victorian Farmers Federation touted the decision as a “common sense move”, ensuring farmers have the necessary tools to protect their livestock in the face of wild dog attacks.
“Farmers are breathing a huge sigh of relief and I would like to thank Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence and Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos for listening to us,” said VFF president Emma Germano.
“It has been an enormous effort by farmers, industry and everyone involved to have their say and make a difference.”
Ms Germano is now calling on the government to reinstate the Wild Dogs Advisory Committee to provide a place for all stakeholders to come together and determine solutions for balancing ongoing management with conservation.
Wodonga-based Liberal MP for Benambra, Bill Tilley, said the announcement was a massive win for community voices.
“More than 12 months ago (when) the threat to the order became apparent a group of seasoned, experienced land-
holders came together to lobby effectively,” he said.
Mr Tilley said this was achieved through multiple channels - delivering speeches to parliament; holding formal and informal meetings with the ministers; taking a stand at a farming expo in Tallangatta and getting those signatures on petitions; as well as harnessing both traditional and social media to explain the situation from a place of knowledge and experience.
He said the next hurdle is contesting “claims” wild dogs are pure dingoes.
“These dogs kill lambs, calves, alpacas, pets and guardian animals at will,” he said.
“Non-lethal control measures have proven ineffective.
“Before the buffer, killing was out of control.
“When it was introduced in 2012, livestock losses were cut to 25 per cent of what had been recorded in the previous year.”
Environmentalists however, have expressed their disappointment in the ruling, stressing the ecological importance of dingoes along with their cultural significance to First Nations communities.
Australian Dingo Foundation director Mel Browning
said the government’s decision is gut-wrenching.
“This decision has been made with little transparency, and that is going to lead to the mass killing of a native species on public land (and more) concerningly deep within National Parks where they are causing no harm to livestock,” she said.
Groups like the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) have condemned the “killing of a vital ecosystem engineer within three kilometres of national parks and protected areas via baiting, trapping and shooting at taxpayers’ expense”.
VNPA parks and nature campaigner Jordan Crook has called on the government to trial an embed alternative solutions to culling.
The VNPA has welcomed the end of the wild dog component of the Victorian Fox and Wild Dog Bounty program, with the final opportunity to submit wild dog parts October 16.
The news of an additional $2 million investment into non-lethal dingo controls and population research has also been greeted positively.
Investment will build on work already underway, funding trials, research and on-ground advice predominantly in the north west of the state where
the unprotection order has been and remains lifted.
Dingo populations in the north west are reported to be in critically low numbers, and as a result lethal controls are neither permitted on private or public land.
Geoff Power, chair of the National Wild Dog Action Plan (NWDAP) coordination committee queries this policy, stating livestock producers are now placed in a vulnerable position.
“The existing Victorian wild dog control program has been successful over many years in achieving a balance between livestock predation and dingo conservation, and the cornerstone of this program is the dingo unprotection order,” he said.
“Since the unprotection order ended in March this year, we’ve heard several stories of producers in the north west struggling with the impacts of wild dog attacks,” he said.
Under State Government reforms, the Wild Dog Management Program will no longer exist in its current guise.
Expanded to include extra supports for farmers through targeted controls of a wider range of vertebrates including deer, foxes, pigs and wild cats, the initiative will be renamed the Vertebrate Species Management Program.
RELIEF FOR FARMERS: Local farmers, who have seen their stock mauled (inset) or killed by wild dogs, are relieved by the State Government’s confirmation that the dingo unprotection order will be renewed until 2028.
FULLY BOOKED: The 43rd Annual Oxley Bush Market on November 2 is booked out.
Government support in wake of severe storms’ clean-up
By JEFF ZEUSCHNER
FEDERAL and state governments are extending funding support to the Rural City of Wangaratta and 27 other Victorian local government councils whose communities were impacted by severe storm events in late August.
The support, jointly fund-
ed through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), offers assistance to coordinate debris removal from storm-affected homes and emergency and asset reconstruction efforts, in particular removing debris impacting essential public infrastructure like roads, footpaths, bridges, and other critical assets.
Announcing the support on Friday, Victorian Minister for Emergency Services, Jaclyn Symes, said the government was committed to make properties safe and restore essential public assets to enable communities and businesses “get back on track”.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Jenny McAllister, said the
expanded support underscores both governments’ commitment to helping local councils recover swiftly from the recent storms.
As reported in the Wangaratta Chronicle, Wangaratta and district was pummelled by ferocious thunderstorms on August 25 and September 2.
Wangaratta SES members responded to 25 requests for
assistance in the first storm, with winds up to 65kmh and a deluge of 17.8mm of rain in 30 minutes seeing a significant number of roads blocked by debris and more than 1000 properties left without power.
Warby Range Road was particularly severely impacted, with a mini-tornado flattening acres of trees and
Plaque to mark 200 years since Oxley Plains naming
BY JORDAN DUURSMA jduursma@ nemedia.com.au
NOVEMBER marks the 200th anniversary of the naming of Oxley Plains by explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell.
To commemorate the milestone, a bicentenary plaque will be unveiled by Independent federal MP for Indi, Helen Haines at the Oxley Memorial Park on Saturday, November 30 at 2pm.
Oxley Residents’ Association member and local historian, Neil Brock, said it’s important for the community now to know about these historical events.
“There are not many 200 year anniversary’s in our state for obvious reasons and when we saw this significant milestone approaching, I thought we really should be doing something, and our residents’ association agreed,” he said.
“We shouldn’t let this occasion pass without recognition.”
Hume and Hovell led an overland expedition discovery in 1824 to find new grazing land for the colony of NSW, prior to the formation of Victoria.
The naming of Oxley Plains and forest is recorded in Hovell’s diary on November 25,1824, as they viewed the plains from a vantage point on Henley Ridge.
The plains were named after John Joseph Oxley, explorer and NSW surveyor at the time.
A settlement developed on the King River known as Oxley and in 1863 Oxley was surveyed and gazetted as a township.
The commemorative bronze plaque will be fitted on a granite pedestal in Oxley Memorial Park, which Mr Brock said is also significant.
“The pedestal was recovered from the 150 year old Oxley Shire Hall in a renovation project 22 years ago
and we though it was fitting to use it in this project,” he said.
The day will be an opportunity for the community to come together and reflect on the past while enjoying food, musical entertainment and community connection.
All are welcome, for more information contact the Oxley Residents’ Association via email at ora3678@gmail. com.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Oxley Residents’ Association members (from left) Neil Barclay, Annette Woods, Don Heath, Neil Brock, Janet Heath, Alison Stephens and Graham Stephens welcome the community join them to commemorate the bicentenary of the naming of Oxley Plains.
PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
causing some damage to structures.
The second storm a week later saw Wangaratta SES members respond to more than 20 calls for assistance, with wind gusts up to almost 100kph felling trees, causing some damage to structures and seeing 4100 homes without power for at least 12 hours.
Two vehicles damaged in hit and run
WANGARATTA police are investigating a hit and run incident in Wangaratta on Sunday morning that let two vehicles damaged.
Police said they received a call from the member of the public after 8am saying they had heard a couple of large bangs and noticed two parked vehicles had been damaged.
Officers arrived and found the vehicles, parked next to each other in Docker Street, both had extensive damage to their driver’s side rear sections.
Police said it is believed a white ute has hit both vehicles and then fled the scene.
Anyone who can assist police with their ongoing investigation is asked to phone Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000
Man charged after fatal crash in Rutherglen
POLICE have charged a man following a fatal collision in Rutherglen on March 28.
Police believe a Ford SUV collided with a pedestrian near the intersection of Main Street and Warrens Lane about 9:10am.
The pedestrian, a 77-yearold Rutherglen woman, was taken to hospital with lifethreatening injuries but sadly died on March 29.
The driver of the Ford stopped at the scene and was not injured.
Police confirmed on Friday that the driver, a 60-year-old Wodonga man, has been charged by summons with careless driving and double parking.
He will appear at the Wodonga Magistrates Court on October 29.
COMMUNITY members are invited to attend a public forum with Rural City of Wangaratta council candidates on Thursday evening.
All 16 candidates have been invited to attend the forum, which will run from 5.20pm to 7pm at the Wangaratta CWA Hall in Templeton Street.
The forum’s focus in ‘ Environment and Sustainability’, and all candidates are being asked to address the question: “Outline your expectations of what the next Wangaratta Council can achieve for our communities with refer-
ence to the environment and sustainability.”
This forum has been organised by Wangaratta Landcare and Sustainability with support from Greta Valley Landcare, Warby Range Landcare, King Basin Landcare and Friends of Warby Ovens National Park.
Wangaratta Chronicle will publish a response to the question from each candidate in Friday’s edition, as part of our ongoing Q&A series with candidates.
Our series commences in today’s edition on page 4.
WE have a correction to make to Friday’s front page story regarding job cuts at GOTAFE.
Shortly after printing our edition on Thursday evening, a Victorian Government spokesperson issued a correction to their earlier statement, indicating that 76, not 90, non-teaching positions are impacted under the major restructure at GOTAFE.
While the union has indicated up to 70 jobs may be lost under the restructure, there is still no official figure from GOTAFE.
CANDIDATES FOR RURAL CITY OF WANGARATTA
2024 council election
QUESTION: Why are you standing for council and what do you hope to achieve?
Mark
I possess strong business, commercial, strategic, and governance skills, essential qualities for an effective councillor. I want to create an economically vibrant community where businesses and families can thrive. To do this, we must make interactions with council straightforward and welcoming, attracting new businesses and fostering employment opportunities that support families. While councillors operate within defined boundaries and do not handle day-to-day operations, I bring valuable executive leadership experience and a proven track record in developing effective KPIs and plans.
I love helping people and making a genuine difference to the communities and businesses I represent. I’m even more excited now than eight years ago, due to the contacts and relationships I have continued to build. I’ve been encouraged by how much I have already achieved within the rural communities, as well as within the rural city as a whole, and these next four years will allow me to make a further real difference.
Wangaratta has much to offer as a regional community and being a councillor is one way of ensuring that our municipality remains a great place to live, work and for recreation.
My intention if elected is to represent and advocate for Wangaratta LGA residents, ensuring their voices are reflected in decision making. I am committed to contributing to my community, and the ward I represent. My previous role in State Parliament has encouraged me to nominate. I would also collaborate with others to achieve: a council plan which reflects community expectations; oversight and transparency in decision making; collaborate with councilors to ensure sustainable outcomes are prioritised; Influence growth to uphold financial stability.
I am standing for council as I am passionate about my community and our region. I feel that I can bring a new energy and collaborative approach to the position. I understand the legislative framework in which decisions are made and I have the ability to utilise this knowledge effectively on behalf of my community. I intend to use these skills to contribute to setting the strategic direction for council’s policy making, service delivery and priorities into the future.
I am passionate about the legacy we want to achieve for our families, community, and the next generation. I am standing for a third term as your local representative, to ensure stability, good governance and diverse representation at our council table. We need a council that has a balanced experience, is responsive to our community needs, can be adaptable, and embraces change. I will continue to pursue that we can leave a great legacy for our present and future generations.
I genuinely care about our community’s wellbeing and prosperity. I’m active in our community, and I firmly believe that I have the skills and knowledge to make a difference for everyone. I aim to achieve: A positive change in the culture of our council; More transparent decision making; Increased opportunities for community to have a say on council priorities; Better council services for our community; Growth of our local economy and diverse tourism; Ensure future major infrastructure projects don’t put financial strain on ratepayers.
I have a strong passion for local government, particularly in Regional Victoria. My experiences working with several councils have inspired me to run for council. My goal is to promote social and economic development to maximise benefits for both our local community and the region as a whole. I see this as a chance to give back to a community that my family has long been a part of.
I am standing for council to continue the work of the past eight years. Firstly, to further contribute to building a sustainable, welcoming, and progressive future. Secondly to see through projects. In addition, I look forward to working with the community to address current priorities and challenges. My motivation in 2016 was twofold and still relevant. I didn’t want to continue sitting on the sidelines criticising, and I wanted to ensure a better future for the younger people in my life - nieces and nephews, friends’ children etc.
I am standing for the Ovens Ward in the RCOW to ensure that there is a rural voice at the table, to enable the township in the RCOW are not forgotten in the decision making. In saying that the urban sector will always have provenance by the sheer size, however the rural areas are very important.
• I’m standing to genuinely create some positive uplift for council.
• Return to the community, the support the RCOW has provided my family and I.
• Create programs, bring in resources for the growth of the community.
• Insist on events, sports and bringing in larger scale entertainment for our community.
• Assist with increasing investment for the RCOW community from outside businesses and groups.
• Assist RCOW with planning, development and innovation to aid the community.
I have a real passion for community and a strong moral compass for what is right, just, and fair. I hope to reinstate those community services that we have lost over the last four years and hope to expand current services. This includes expanding our aged care services and investigate ways to attract new and emerging businesses to Wangaratta. I would also like council to become more supportive and involved with community art, theatre groups and STEM groups within our community.
Our Q&A series continues with all candidates in Wednesday’s edition. They will answer the following question: Councils are complex service organisations and large businesses. What experience and credentials will you bring to improve council’s performance? (Answers are restrcited to a maxinmum 90 words)
•
If we can see things that need to be done differently, then it is no good just complaining, we need to stand up and be part of the solution. I believe things need to be done differently in the Rural City of Wangaratta, including better communication between council and communities, ensuring the council’s core responsibilities are being met, supporting and advocating for those that don’t feel like they are being heard, and understanding how council can help our communities continue to achieve the great things they do.
I’m standing for council because I’m deeply committed to Wangaratta’s future. Having grown up here and built my business, I want to give back by helping local businesses thrive and creating opportunities for young people. My goal is to support sustainable growth, promote small businesses, and strengthen our community’s economy. By working closely with residents, I aim to foster a vibrant, inclusive city where everyone can succeed, ensuring Wangaratta remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
I am standing for election because I am disappointed with council’s performance, particularly with the neglect of Yarrunga. I think I can help council do a better job providing services to Yarrunga. If elected, I will:
• Reduce spending and stop rate rises;
• Improve the basics: roads, water, storm water drainage, rubbish;
• Encourage business growth and jobs;
• Encourage house building. I am ashamed to live in a town where so many people are homeless;
• Establish clean, green income streams for council.
NOTE: Irene Grant (Warby Ward) and Harry Bussell (King Ward) are already elected as they were the single candidates for the single vacancy in their respective wards. Those enrolled in those wards won’t need to vote. Ballot packs will be posted to enrolled voters in all other five wards from October 7, with voting closing October 25.
CURRIE
APPIN WARD
Allison WINTERS
Joanne PANE
YARRUNGA WARD
YARRUNGA WARD
David FULLER
BULLAWAH WARD
Tania MAXWELL
APPIN WARD
Irene GRANT
WARBY WARD
Brian FOX
Council has slipped in public awareness of its role in the community in recent years.
• I do hope to change this by lifting the profile of everything council.
BULLAWAH WARD
Harry BUSSELL
KING RIVER WARD
Anne DUNSTAN
Julian FIDGE
YARRUNGA WARD
YARRUNGA WARD
Rebecca SHENFIELD
OVENS WARD
Jennifer GARRETT
OVENS WARD
Harvey BENTON
OVENS WARD
Ashlee FITZPATRICK
WAREENA WARD
Mel PAUL
WAREENA WARD
Peter SIPERKI
WAREENA WARD
Inclusiveness plan axed: new council to start again
By STEVE KELLY
A DRAFT Inclusive Wangaratta Plan (2024-2029) has been scrapped following an estimated two years of consultation on the plan.
At the September council meeting, Mayor Dean Rees moved to cease all further work on the development of the plan until the newly
elected council has an opportunity to consider how it wishes to proceed.
The motion was carried only hours before the council election caretaker period was initiated.
Mayor Rees said the current inclusion policy is still a workable document, but it is part of the Local Government Act that council has to
upgrade the policy as it has expired.
“This process may take on a different form and shape for the new council to decide and I would like to decide on it but haven’t got the time,” Cr Rees said.
“We have got to make a decision on something and we’ve only got tonight.
“I don’t want to vote on
something I am not happy with, so I’d rather leave it.”
Cr Irene Grant said the plan was one she could not endorse as there were too many inconsistencies and it had not been worked through well enough.
She said the policy had no resemblance to the previous policy and it had not looked at the community in
a broad and holistic way.
The now defunct plan included feedback with a wide range of views on diversity and inclusion in Wangaratta.
Terminology was also queried, including the scope and coverage of the plan in terms of the groups in society that it sought to support.
Key issues raised in the
plan included the actions around inclusive toilets and the terminology used.
The display of flags was also noted in submissions with a range of views on the position council should take on the issue.
Six councillors voted in favour of discontinuing the plan, while Cr Jack Herry was against the move.
Making bush more accessible
Police join forces in special unit to target high offenders amid overall rise in crime
■ from page 1
“It’s a good thing, not because the stats are up, but because we’re being proactive and we’re putting a stop to shop theft.”
Other thefts, including bicycle thefts, were up on the previous 12-months while stealing from a motor vehicle stayed the same.
The rural city recorded 1943 total criminal incidents in the 12-month period, up from 1846 last year.
Breach in family violence orders (199 incidents) was the most common offence followed by criminal damage, which recorded 23 less incidents this year compared to last year.
According to Act Insp Ratcliffe, the increase in breach in family violence orders is because people are more likely to report family violence crimes than ever before.
“It’s more accepted these days to ring and report family violence than not,” he said.
“People are becoming more confident to report family violence to police.”
While there was a nine per cent spike in crime across the state, Wangaratta’s crime rate still sits above the state average.
The updated incident rate per 100,000 people for the rural city sits at 6464 criminal incidents, compared to the state’s rate of 5886.
Elsewhere, Wodonga saw a significant 17 per cent spike in crime, with 388 thefts from vehicles the major contributor.
There were 3316 criminal incidents recorded in the region in the 12-month period, up from 2833 in the previous 12-month time frame.
In comparison, the Alpine region had a 12.7 per cent drop in crime while the Indigo region saw crime dip 19 per cent.
Both regions bucked the state trends in terms of increasing thefts, with incidents dropping compared to the previous 12-months.
The Moira region, which
sits under the Wangaratta Police Service Area, saw a 7.2 per cent crime spike, with breaches of family violence orders rising by 70 incidents.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Chris Gilbert said Victoria Police made 68,579 arrests and layed 189,666 charges over the past year.
“Victoria’s four fastest growing crimes are all related to opportunistic offending - theft from motor vehicle, retail theft, motor vehicle theft, and the theft of other items such as petrol,” he said.
“Around a quarter of all crime can be directly attributed to the scourge of family violence, with Victoria Police called out to a family violence incident every five minutes.
“Police continue to see far too many properties burgled and cars stolen due to unlocked doors and windows, so we urge the community to take simple measures such as checking your home and car is locked before heading to bed.”
By CHLOE JAENICKE
FRIENDS of Warby Ovens National Parks (FOWONP) will use a $13,700 Victorian Landcare Grant to support their Bush Garden Project at Wenhams Camp.
The project is being developed at the Warby Ovens National Park to celebrate the diverse native flora and fauna found in the area.
The State Government funding is designed to support Landcare and environmental groups educate and restore the natural environment, and FOWONP intends to do just that with more plants and educational signage for the bush garden.
“We want the grant to help us take the next step, which is putting in interpretive signage that goes beyond just naming the plants,” FOWONP volunteer, Ian Minns, said. Through putting up the signs and having a wide array of native animals in one place, members of FOWONP hope to bring the bush to the people and make it more accessible.
“A lot of people don’t get out into the bush so we’re making that step a bit easier by making an educational experience where people can gain an understanding
about what the local bush is like and the role of it in parks,” Mr Minns said.
“There are all sorts of things happening in a small area, so we wanted to tell the stories of the ecosystem within the area.”
FOWONP chair, Mary Reid, said she hopes the garden can be used as an educational tool for school and community groups to explore.
“Our signs will give them an opportunity to learn about a lot of different things like the plants and the animals in the bush garden since we’ve got a friendly wombat that lives in there and lots of birds as well,” she said.
They also hope to honour the Indigenous culture in the area through having discussions with aboriginal groups on how they can create an area for local groups to gather within the garden.
Ms Reid said the group was excited to receive the grant as it will help in their efforts to boost the number of visitors to the Warby Ovens National Park.
“We really do believe that if we can get the garden looking strong healthy and beautiful that we’ll be able to get more visitors into the Warby Ovens National Park,” she said.
“It’s very convenient for people from Wangaratta so we’re very excited about that.”
Mr Minns said the grant will also help them put more time into restoring the park.
“Getting that financial support to put in those volunteer hours is fantastic and makes our job easier,” he said.
“It means we can do the work we want to do without having to do fundraising, our core thing is getting out in the bush and supporting Parks Victoria.”
The Victorian Landcare Grants support Biodiversity 2037, the Victorian Government’s long-term plan to protect Victoria’s environment.
Biodiversity 2037 aims to improve more than 23,000ha of land, the equivalent of more than 13,000 MCGs.
FOWONP is hoping to officially open the bush garden in around six months and invite more people to volunteer.
The group is especially interested in encouraging more young people to help out at working bees. If you would like to learn more about FOWONP, contact Ian Minns on 0427 686 357.
INCREASING BIODIVERSITY: Ian Minns and Mary Reid from FOWONP were excited to receive more than $13,700 to go toward their Bush Garden.
PHOTO: Chloe Jaenicke
Rising crime rate is not all bad news
A RISING crime rate certainly raises concerns within the community.
But the finer details and a critical assessment of statistics can often provide a great explanation, and even perhaps allay cursory concerns.
Case in point is today’s story on the latest crime statistics for the Wangaratta Services Area, showing overall crime up by over five per cent in the past 12 months.
Police have said the rise in some of the offences points to positives rather than negatives.
In particular, a greater focus of shop thefts is seeing more people caught, and a rise in family violence is not necessarily a rise in crimes, but a willingness for more victims to report the instances to police.
Perhaps the biggest revelation though is a new co-ordinated approach to address consistent criminal offenders, and look at what can be done to stop their offending in the first place, beyond simple incarceration.
Learning more about council candidates
IN today’s Wangaratta Chronicle we are commencing our Question and Answer series with all 16 candidates standing for the Rural City of Wangaratta council election.
We will be running a Q&A with all of your candidates in the next 12 editions, hoping to provide some greater insight into each candidates’ opinions, position on issues and experience to help voters in the election.
For those who like the face-to-face approach, there is a public forum from 5.20pm with candidates at the CWA Hall in Templeton Street this Thursday.
The Quiz No. 104
1. The northern bobtail lizard is only found in the wild in which Australian state?
2. In what year did Alfred Deakin become the 2nd Prime Minister of Australia?
3. The 2016 TV series, Class, is a spin-off of which long-running TV series?
4. Which English Premier League football team was originally called Newton Heath L&YR F.C.?
5. How many small squares are in a standard Sudoku game?
6. In the Archies comics, what is the name of Jughead’s dog?
7. Who won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in the 2001 movie, Training Day?
8. What is the official language of Costa Rica?
9. Who was Australia’s Minister for Defence from December 1984 to April 1990?
10. In hip hop culture, what is the name of jewellery worn over the teeth?
11. Who wrote the 1901 novel, My Brilliant Career?
12. In which Australian state is the Rubicon River located?
13. What is a funambulist?
14. Barry Richards represented which country in Test Cricket?
15. What type of cards include Major and Minor Arcana’s?
16. The song, Smoke on the Water, first appeared on which 1972 album?
17. Paul Cézanne was one of the leaders of which art movement?
18. In Greek mythology, which creature was part man and part bull?
19. Which band released the 2015 album, Beautiful You?
20. In 2016, Jameel McKay joined which Australian NBL team?
FACEBOOK users this week commented on traffic increasing along the Oxley-Meadow Creek Road if a nearby solar farm is approved.
• Julie Braden: Allowing solar farms on prime agricultural farm is a travesty. This is not about “not in my backyard”. Nonetheless building solar farms in NE Victoria is ridiculous. And absolute shame on those
allowing it to happen. May the karma hit you fair where it needs to on your way down the money trail.
• Linda Simpson: A “farm” does not take 280 vehicles/day over 18 months to “construct”! This is an Industrial Facility that does not belong in a Rural Community.
• Marc George Hourigan: You can try and stop it but they will just do it anyway what’s the
ACCC continues inquiry into supermarkets
MANY Australian consumers and grocery suppliers have told the ACCC they are concerned that some of Australia’s supermarket retailers have considerable market power and are engaging in practices which disadvantage both their customers and suppliers.
The Interim Report for the ACCC’s Supermarkets Inquiry, published today (Friday, September 27), outlines what the ACCC has heard at the halfway point of the year-long inquiry.
Supermarket retailing in Australia is an oligopoly, with Woolworths and Coles accounting for 67 per cent of supermarket retail sales nationally.
Aldi accounts for nine per cent and Metcash supplied independent supermarkets seven per cent.
Oligopolistic market structures can limit incentives to compete vigorously on price.
We see Woolworths and Coles providing a broadly similar experience to customers through largely undifferentiated product ranges, pricing at similar levels and similar nonprice offerings including loyalty programs.
So far during this inquiry we have heard in detail about many aspects of Australia’s grocery markets.
Increasing grocery prices are one key contributor to the rising cost of living and are front of mind for consumers, given how often people shop at supermarkets and how much of their incomes people spend there.
The price of a typical basket of groceries has increased by more than 20 per cent in the past five years.
The ACCC’s consumer survey indicated that the majority of respondents in low-income households are spending more than 20 per cent of their net income on groceries.
We have observed that food price growth in the last five years is largely in-line with inflation in other goods and services, and that food price inflation is lower in Australia than in most OECD countries.
However, we will look very closely at the extent to which any market power held by the supermarkets has a role in increasing prices to consumers or decreasing prices to suppliers.
During the remaining five months of our inquiry we will scrutinise whether, and if so how, the supermarkets may be using market power and the economic implications this has for Australian consumers and suppliers.
We will examine whether supermarkets are exercising market power to increase retail prices more than is necessary to accommodate increases in the wholesale prices supermarkets pay.
We are also examining whether supermarkets are engaging in other business practices that may cause detriment to consumers or suppliers.
NOTE:
point in the end.
• Angella Francis: Linda Simpson our road is terrible as it is. Council barely do anything to ‘fix it’. A bit of cake batter here & there tapped down with a shovel.
• Georgina Rea: This so is a “Not in my backyard” issue. Very backward thinking all this going on about PRIME agricultural land and using the desert etc etc. Any land couldn’t be put to better use
than a solar farm. Investment in our future.
Facebook users also commented on the Inland Rail continuing works at the Wangaratta Railway Station and Green Street Bridge through October and November.
• Andrew Meloury: Fix the signal issue on sisely ave we shouldn’t have to wait ten minutes while the train is stopped at the station.
Our follower total is Like the Wangaratta Chronicle Facebook page to have your say. 14,981
NATIONAL POLICE REMEMBRANCE DAY: Inspector Nathan Ractliffe addressed police officers, members of the public and fellow emergency service workers at Wangaratta Police Station on Friday morning to honour the 175 officers who lost their lives in the line of duty since the force was established in 1853. The commemorative service was one of many held across the country to mark National Police Remembrance Day. In honour of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, Leading Senior Constable Helen Parfett placed and lit a candle while Detective Constable Chelsea Tasker laid a wreath, and the crowd followed with a minute of silence. Those gathered bowed their heads as police chaplin Steve Van Der Poel opened and closed the service in prayer.
Many consumers have told us that they are losing trust in the sale price claims by supermarkets.
These difficulties reportedly arise from some of the pricing practices of some supermarkets, such as frequent specials, shortterm lowered prices, bulk-buy promotions, member-only prices and bundled prices.
Many consumers have also raised concerns that they are being penalised for not participating in supermarket loyalty programs, particularly following the emergence of member-only pricing.
Many grocery suppliers have told the ACCC that they consider they sometimes receive prices below the cost of production and have little choice but to agree to highly unfavourable terms, with these terms being subject to ongoing changes by the major retailers.
The issues raised by a number of suppliers are concerning.
We are using our compulsory information gathering powers to examine this reported behaviour by the supermarkets, and will include any findings in our final report.
The ACCC has identified 14 products that will be the focus of detailed analysis over the remainder of the inquiry.
They are: beef, chicken, pork, bananas, apples, strawberries, cucumbers, potatoes, eggs, milk, cereal, biscuits, pet food, and dishwashing tablets.
The ACCC will present results of our analysis in the final report of the inquiry, in February 2025.
ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh
We need to vote with caution in election
I READ with interest Ken Clarke OAM’s letter (Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, September 20) on the council election, especially his comment: “...I note participation from one or two councillors has been very minimal and you have to wonder why they are there.”
I agree that we need to vote with caution.
With two current councillors elected unopposed and three others seeking re-election, it means that we may have two and up to five new councillors representing us.
In my opinion, it will be good and beneficial for the residents to have a dedicated councillor in each ward (compared to four City Ward councillors) under the new ward system.
I am looking forward to working with the new council and my ward councillor to continue to work on an unresolved matter.
Yen Sanderson, Wangaratta
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
PHOTO: Jordan Duursma
COMMUNITY SUPPORT: Active Rural Communities co-ordinator at Gateway Health, Ornella Kelly, welcomes the grant from the Rural City of Wangaratta.
By CHLOE JAENICKE
COUNCIL funding will help expand a social support program being run by Gateway Health across the Rural City of Wangaratta.
The Active Rural Communities Program includes a range of exercisebased sessions, educational and social activities, all for primarily older people who are, or are at risk, of becoming socially isolated, or require assistance to access services.
“We look forward to being able to offer more variety to our groups that have additional costs like arts and craft activities or gardening and food supplies,”
Active Rural Communities co-ordinator at Gateway Health Ornella Kelly said.
“We currently offer a Friday lunch in partnership with GOTAFE Wangaratta and would love to be able to expand our social lunch offerings.”
Ms Kelly said an $8000 grant recently received from the Rural City of Wangaratta as part of its Community Grants Program would allow the program to continue to offer a range of social outings while keeping it affordable for the community.
“Gateway Health welcomes the funding which will allow an extension of the popular Active Rural Communities program,” she said.
By STEVE KELLY
UPGRADED infrastructure, support for small business and expanded dining and shopping options have rated highly by the community in a new economic development and tourism strategy, recently adopted by the Rural City of Wangaratta council.
On the list of strengths for the rural city are liveability, access to services, and education facilities.
Challenges include limited access to public transport, access to reliable high-speed internet and telecommunica-
tions, and health care access due to a shortage of local practitioners.
Initiatives include determining Wangaratta’s weaknesses, comparative advantages and priority industries. and committing to a compelling vision for Wangaratta and actively supporting it with marketing and advocacy and a detailed action plan.
Under the actions, the marketing of Wangaratta to priority industries will continue, along with the simplification of investment.
According to the strategy, council will ensure residents
and business owners/operators are heard and considered with frequent consultation opportunities.
Ovens Ward candidate Jennifer Garrett shared her thoughts on the strategy at the September council meeting.
Ms Garrett said a good idea would be to place a visitor information kiosk at Apex Park as it was a high visibility location and offered parking for caravanners.
She noted that the existing location at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre was difficult for visitors to find.
In supporting the adoption of the strategy, Cr Irene Grant said “while there has been a lot of work done, it’s a moveable piece and it’s not something council can simply sit back on its laurels with”.
“It means continuing hard work and commitment to ensuring Wangaratta is considered as not only a a destination but as a hub of the region,” she said.
However, Cr Jack Herry took aim at the strategy document as he couldn’t see any “robust clarity in strategic direction”.
“I feel like we’re left with
often middling documents, I would argue this is one such example,” he said.
“They kind of point us everywhere and nowhere at once, full of unresolved, competing objectives and conflicts.
“For example, how do you propose to increase consumption, gross regional product, tourism, without compromising the environment upon which we all depend?
“How do you balance liveability with visitablity, how do you balance more population without pressure on services?
“I just don’t think clarity is provided that when push
comes to shove, which takes precedence.”
In response to the remarks, Cr Grant said it was important to be ambitious in what the city would like to see in the space of economic development and tourism.
“At the end of the day there will be a whole lot of factors that influence what happens and develops in the process and a lot of it is about dollars and we don’t have the dollars for a lot of those things that are just not possible,” she said.
The strategy was adopted, with six councillors in favour and Cr Herry against.
By JORDAN DUURSMA
SEXUAL health has been in the focus for September, highlighting the importance of accessible and reliable sexual and reproductive health services and information.
Gateway Health’s Clinic 35 offers a free, confidential and safe setting to discuss sexual health concerns and receive comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care to the community.
Sexual and reproductive health nurse Ange Davidson said there is a real stigma around sexual health but it’s not any different from your mental or physical health.
“I always say to patients, our sexual health is just as valid and important as the rest of our health,” she said.
“Providing accessible specialist sexual and reproductive health services to people without barriers helps reduce the rates of sexually transmitted diseases and, having the right information, equips people to make informed choices about their health.”
Clinic 35 offers services like sexual health education, testing and treatment for infections, HIV prevention, contraception options, unplanned pregnancy options and cervical screening tests.
The clinic is open to eve-
ryone but Ms Davidson said the clinic prioritises underscreened groups.
“While the clinic is open to everyone, our focus is on priority populations like those who may not be able to access a GP or people in the LGBTQIA+ community,” she said.
“It is also about giving people solid information to be able to make their own decisions about their sexual health without judgment.
“We want people to be
able to have more conversations about pleasure, consent and all the things that come into that.”
Clinic 35 is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm at Gateway Health on MacKay Street, for more information or to book an appointment, visit https://gatewayhealth. org.au/services/gp-clinics/ clinic-35-sexual-and-reproductive-health/, call 5723 2000 or email clinic35wang@ gatewayhealth.org.au.
Exhibition explores cultural importance of Ovens River
WILD Country, an exhibition by artists Heather Hesterman and Clare McCracken being held at Wangaratta Art Gallery, explores the historical, cultural and social importance of the Ovens River.
Through creative writing, photography, video and performance, the exhibition aims to cultivate a closer connection to our landscape, to the river and to our all-important resource – water.
The artists examine how the river has been used throughout its history, as a place of deep spiritual connection for First Nations Peoples through to the impacts of settlement, agriculture and mining, the gold-rush water riots, and its recreational importance as a place to play, fish and swim.
Wild Country will draw on the rich history of our region and examine stories of the landscape and the forces that have shaped it.
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to write a letter to the Ovens, as a way of sharing anecdotes of personal connections to the river and surrounding tributaries.
The letter may share a forgotten history, a memory, or an aspiration for the future of the river, and it can be signed or left anonymous.
Wangaratta Art Gallery director Rachel Arndt said the exhibition promises to appeal to anyone who is interested in the local environment, local history and more broadly in ecology, environmental protection and art.
She said art can be a powerful tool for showcasing the importance of our environment, and Wild Country is a thoughtful and thoroughly researched exhibition that stimulates our thinking about the history and use of the beautiful Ovens River.
“The river holds such an important place in the social and economic fabric of the North East,” Ms Arndt said.
“Through Wild Country Clare and Heather describe the historical and current-day ecological impacts which have indelibly altered its landscape.
“This exhibition is a call to action - for us to listen and learn and to care for our river and all that it provides.”
McCracken, who grew up
in North East Victoria, often found herself using Google Maps to explore satellite views of her hometown when she felt homesick.
During lockdown, her curiosity deepened, leading her to research the Ovens River’s rich history.
She discovered many unfamiliar stories about the
river, highlighting its vital importance to the communities along its banks.
Hesterman and McCracken will talk about their exhibition Wild Country on Saturday, October 12 from 1pm to 2pm in Gallery 2 at the Wangaratta Art Gallery.
There will also be a spe-
cial morning tea as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival 2024 on Thursday, October 10 from 10.30am to 12pm, where visitors can share their stories of the Ovens River.
To book a free ticket, visit www.wangarattaartgallery. com.au with the exhibition to run until November 3.
Author talk and writing workshop with Liz Foster
By ANITA MCPHERSON
SYDNEY author Liz Foster will visit the Wangaratta Library on October 9 to discuss her debut novel and host a writing workshop, in an event presented by the library and Edgars Books & News.
Foster grew up in England and when she’s not writing, she’s thinking about it and peppering her family with questions about plot and character dilemmas.
Her debut novel, The Good Woman’s Guide to Making Better Choices,
Monday, September 29, 2014
By STEVE KELLY
is set between Bondi and Beechworth and is a warm, funny and outrageously unfair novel about deception, financial fraud and goat’s cheese.
The Good Women’s Guide to Making Better Choices features Libby, a 40-something woman from country Victoria who lives in Bondi with her financier husband Ludo and their two children.
When Ludo is jailed for financial fraud, and her friends and family lose tens of thousands of dollars, Libby feels agonisingly com-
plicit for hosting the final investor pitch in their home. Matters go from atrocious to worse when her possessions and home are repossessed, Libby is sacked and a priceless family heirloom is wrecked.
While camping out at the rural goat farm where she was raised, she creatively reevaluates her life choices.
Liz Foster will lead a workshop to help aspiring writers create vivid, relatable characters that resonate with readers.
Whether starting their
writing journey or looking to enhance their storytelling skills – Liz will teach participants how to unlock the secret to making characters leap off the page.
The writing workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 9 at 2.30pm at the library in Docker Street, or come along and meet the author and hear about her work at 6.30pm.
Bookings are essential via Humanitix or contact library staff on 5721 2366 or library@wangaratta.vic.gov. au.
Liz Foster will host a writing workshop during her visit to the Wangaratta Library on October 9. PHOTO: Affirm Press
Artists in joint exhibition at Bainz Gallery
AN exhibition of paintings by local artists Barbara Forster, Margaret Bennett and Dawn Meader, is being held in the Bainz Gallery at the Wangaratta Library.
There are over 30 artworks on display showcasing their individual styles and interests, most created in recent times, and they can be seen throughout September during opening hours.
Quilts on display at My Little Patch
A SELECTION of quilts made by local quilter Di Butler is on display at My Little Quilts for the month of September.
See them in the shop at the rear of 49 Reid Street during opening hours.
Crossing exhibition by Fran O’Neill
AN exhibition titled Crossing by one of the region’s most acclaimed artists, Fran O’Neill, bringing together work completed over the last decade, is showing at the Wangaratta Art Gallery.
Having built a significant international career for her evocative and vibrant abstract paintings, O’Neill has now permanently established her studio in the idyllic surrounds of Cheshunt.
Crossing traces O’Neill’s longing for ‘home’ in those years as an ex-pat, the development of her colour palette and the new work created in response to the quality of light and atmosphere of her Cheshunt studio, and it will be on display until November 10.
DEVELOPING a second oval is among priority projects put forward for inclusion in a new masterplan for Wangaratta Showgrounds.
A draft of the masterplan is expected to be tabled with the Rural City of Wangaratta council next week.
Wangaratta Showgrounds special committee of management chairman Denis Backas said they had met with council and consultants this month and put forward a number of projects they believe should be included.
And Mr Backas said one of the facility’s major needs is an extra oval that could be used to alleviate the high demand for the showgrounds facilities, since its multimillion upgrade three years ago.
“You nearly have to be standing at the gate with the stopwatch because the demand for use is so
high,” Mr Backas told the Wangaratta Chronicle.
“The consultants asked for our views on how development at the Wangaratta Showgrounds should pan out and an extra training oval and the relocation of the bike track were two of the changes we highlighted.”
A new oval would take the place of the area that in the past has been used for the annual rodeo, however, Mr Backas believes organisers of this event - which didn’t take place this year - would be able to find another location.
“The extra oval would be able to cater for junior football and cricket and a 320m-330m cycling track could be established to free up the current area around the main oval
for stand seating,” he said.
Fixed seating on the bike track would involve stands being erected along the wings, which could be used to cater for large crowds seen at NAB Challenge AFL games and local league finals matches.
The Ovens and Murray Grand Final has been absent from Wangaratta since 1994, but new seating, accommodating 12,500 people, would be further testament to the venue’s suitability for the event.
Council director of community wellbeing, Jaime Carroll, confirmed consultants were completing the research and consultation stages for a draft to be “tabled with council next week”.
“We will then go back to stakeholders to see how it might be adjusted, with the view of tabling the master plan at the December council meeting,” she said.
“The plan is about maximising the potential and operations of the site and how we can manage them.”
PRECIOUS RESOURCE: Clare McCracken and Heather Hesterman, Wild Country: All that is lost and sometimes found, 2024.
PHOTO: Andrew Ferris
STORYTELLER:
GROUNDED: Denis Backas is keen to see this rodeo ground adjoining the Wangaratta Showgrounds developed into a second training oval.
PHOTO: Luke Plummer
September rainfall well below average
Kabir Singh Thakur
WHAT’S UP WITH THE WEATHER?
By
AS the month of September draws to close rainfall totals will be below average over most of Victoria and NSW.
Wangaratta has received just 29.8mms (up until 9am Sunday, September 29), which is still well short of the September average of 56.7mms, whilst Rutherglen with 38mms is 16mms below the September average.
The main feature of the month for Wangaratta was the very warm day during the first week of this month.
Not only was the 27.3 degrees at Wangaratta on September 6 the warmest day of the month, but it was also the highest temperature on record for the first week of September.
The previous high for Wangaratta’s first week of September was 25 degrees in both 1959 and 1972.
Rutherglen’s 28.4 degrees on September 6 was also a record high for the first week of September.
The previous highs for the first week of September at Rutherglen were in 1913,
this large puddle at the confluence of the King and Ovens rivers in Wangaratta. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
1940, 1972 and 1994.
Maximum temperature at both places were just one degree above normal whilst minimum temperatures were about half a degree below normal.
The lowest temperature at Rutherglen was minus 3.8 on September 16, and minus 1.3 degrees at Wangaratta on September 18.
A most interesting feature before the record high temperatures of the first week of Sep-
tember was the record or near record high temperature at the end of August, which happened this year at Rutherglen and previously occurred in 1913, 1940, 1972 and 1994.
Halls Creek in Western Australia and Ayres Rock (Uluru) had their heaviest rainfall last Tuesday (September 24) since 2010 and before that in 1975 and 1973.
Those three past cases certainly set up very wet period
Candidates Forum - RCOW
Thursday 3 October
5.20pm for a 5.30pm start until 7.00pm CWA Hall Templeton Street Wangaratta
The Candidates Forum will enable candidates who have nominated for Wangaratta Council to present their values in regard to our environment and ongoing sustainability.
Candidates will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and present what they see as important in how Wangaratta Council should consider issues related to our environment and sustainability. This will be followed by a Q & A session.
This forum is being organised by Wangaratta Landcare and Sustainability with the support of the following Landcare groups across the rural city: Greta Valley Landcare, King Basin Landcare Group, Warby Range Landcare and Friends of Warby Ovens NP.
If you would like to attend, please use the link or QR Code below to get further information. https://events.humanitix.com/rural-city-of-wangaratta-councilcandidates-forum-environment-and-sustainability
from the third week of October to near the end of January in North East Victoria. Cairns reached 33.1 degrees last on September 22, which was almost the hottest on record for September.
Other hot September days in Cairns were in 1917, 1928, 1945, 1976, 2003 and 2022. If I want to see a tropical cyclone in Cairns next season I better make such a trip in February and March next year.
Jubilee
Kabir Singh Thakur was born at Northeast Health Wangaratta on Wednesday, September 18 at 10pm and weighed 3.18kg (7lb .17oz). He is the son of Charu Chandel and Sahil Thakur of Bright.
Max Edward Fitzpatrick was born at Northeast Health Wangaratta on Tuesday, September 24 at 2:11am and weighed 2.88kg (6lb 5oz). He is the brother of Lilah and Fletcher and the son of Caitlin Fitzpatrick and Jordon Fitzpatrick of Yarrawonga.
ARRIVALS AT NORTHEAST HEALTH WANGARATTA
The Wangaratta Chronicle will be in attendance at the midwifery ward on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9.30am to take photos of newborns with their parents, grandparents and/or siblings. Consent forms are available from the hosopital, or Wangaratta Chronicle staff on the day. If you miss us at the hospital but want to appear in the paper call us on 5723 0130.
Corporate
Golf
Challenge
4pm each Friday 11 Oct - 8 Nov 2024
Have you got 3 three people (friends, clients, employees) that would enjoy 6 holes of golf, a BBQ and drinks at bar prices.
Come join us at the Jubilee Golf Club on Friday evening at 4pm.
All welcome.
No experience required, golfers and non golfers alike.
Please register your interest by COB Friday 4 October 2024 $150 per team for 5 weeks of fun
Email— proshop@jubileegolfclub.com.au with Business name, contact person, phone and email details
Bragging rights will be accompanied by small prizes to return to the office with.
FRESH RAIN: Wangaratta’s September rainfall is well below average, but five millimetres on Wednesday evening last week replenished
Max Edward Fitzpatrick
Peter Ne son, Peter Nelson, retired CSIRO climatologist
Mystery writer will return, and novelist keen for festival debut
NEXT month’s Mount Beauty Writers Festival will host eight authors from around the country to discuss their latest works.
NEMEDIA journalist PHOEBE MORGAN caught up with two of the guest authors ahead of the festival to learn more about them and their latest books.
Mystery writer, Lee Christine, will return to the Mount Beauty Writers Festival this October after being one of the guest speakers at the inaugural event in 2022.
“I’ve been interviewed by event organiser, Fay Mason, a few times on Alpine Radio and she invited me to speak at the first festival,” Ms Christine said.
“She’s been kind enough to ask me to speak a second time.”
Ms Christine will be back, featuring her most recent novel, ‘Glenrock’, a new murder mystery set in the Glenrock State Conservation Area near Newcastle, New South Wales, where the bushland meets the beach.
“I live in Newcastle and I was born and bred there,” Ms Christine said.
The story centres on a former political journalist, Angela Avery, when at first, the body of a judge is discovered in Glenrock, then another victim.
Avery must balance working with the Newcastle detective in charge of the case and interviewing an incarcerated forger who seems to be linked to the crimes.
Ms Christine’s previous books, the ‘Snowy Mountains’ trilogy were set in the NSW high country, where three homicide detectives from Parramatta solve cases in the snow.
“I’m hoping the readers who enjoyed my ‘Snowy Mountain’ trilogy will also enjoy ‘Glenrock’,” she said.
“It’s a police procedural story; similar to my previous works and written in a similar style.
“I have a special Easter egg in this one: someone drops into the story from the ‘Snowy Mountains’ books!
“My aim was to set this story in a natural location as well: it’s more shocking that way, finding a body between the snow gums and on beaches.
“Most crime novels usually begin
with a dead body, but you don’t often expect to find a body on a beach that has been murdered; usually it’s a drowning victim or a lost fisherman.”
Since the book’s release in January this year, the novel has been well received, particularly, Ms Christine said, by people who live in the area the novel is set in.
“Some authors create fictional towns, but for my first novel, ‘Charlotte Pass’, I could not have imagined a more unique setting than what was already on display in the high country,” she said.
“In my earlier books, Thredbo and Khancoban were smaller villages, but with Newcastle being a larger city, I wanted to get the layout of the place right.”
Ms Christine is currently working on her next book; half set in the USA and half in Australia.
“It’s another crime drama,” she said.
“I will not say any more at this
Liz Foster will features her debut novel ‘The Good Woman’s Guide to Making Better Choices’ at the festival.
“Half of my novel is set in the beautiful region of North East Victoria so I’m really looking forward to attending,” Ms Foster said.
“I was super thrilled to be invited to speak at this gorgeoussounding local festival after chatting with Fay Mason from Alpine Radio earlier this year.
“We have close friends who live in Beechworth so we try and see them at least once a year.
time: I don’t like to give too much away.
“The outline has been given to my agent and I’m in the early stages of writing the opening chapters, so we’ll see how it goes.
“I love plotting out a story that I would love to read myself.
“I also love crafting interesting and complex characters, people I could be friends with in real life: with the exception of the perpetrator, of course.”
Ms Christine said she was currently keeping her murder-mystery writer’s skills sharp by reading Pip Fioretti’s ‘Bone Lands’.
“I am loving it,” she said.
In the meantime, she looks forward to Mount Beauty’s upcoming festival.
“The first festival was a lot of fun; everyone’s pretty relaxed in Mount Beauty,” she said.
“I hope the writer’s festival gets a good turn-out this year; they put in a lot of work.”
“I love the region so much: the surrounds, the history, the nature, the people.
“I could definitely see myself moving there, though maybe just for the summer months!”
Released in January this year, Ms Foster’s latest work is an ‘UpLit’ novel (uplifting literature); a zany exploration of how her main character, Libby, makes ends meet after her husband, Ludo, is jailed for financial fraud.
Retreating to Beechworth to camp out at the family goat farm, Libby must re-evaluate her life choices, figure out how to make amends and save her family from falling apart.
“It’s a light-hearted, character focused story,” Ms Foster said.
“My main character comes up with some creative ways to make ends meet.
“There are a lot of characters, some of whom are goats: Kim Kardashian and Lada Gaga amongst them.
“All of my books have quirky set-
tings so that the readers can really imagine all the unique visuals of the place.”
Ms Foster said introducing characters with foibles and hidden depths adds a richness to her stories.
“It helps to bring things to life and I like to make people laugh with my stories,” she said.
“I love flexing my imagination; every single circumstance you ever find yourself in, however stressful or banal, inspires great material.
“Waiting rooms, traffic jams, airplanes are all perfect fodder.
“I’ve just returned from a big trip through the UK and gained so much inspiration from everywhere I went: there’s a quirky story or piece of intriguing history at every turn.
“There’s always somewhere rich and fun you can go with your mind.”
Ms Foster said she is working on a couple of new books at the moment.
“I’m currently editing my second novel, ‘Trials and Tribulations’,” she said.
“It revolves around a sexual harassment trial which acts as a catalyst in the unravelling lives of two jurors forced to examine the influence of their own value judgements.
“It’s partly set in a fancy dress shop, owned by one of the jurors, which has been great fun to write.
“And there’s another book set in a Sydney scrapyard which I’m currently working through.”
Ms Foster is currently reading her way through ‘The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife’, by Anna Johnston.
“It’s a wonderful story about a bizarre case of mistaken identity that allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family,” she said.
“Given my job as the general manager of communications in a nursing home in Sydney and the multiple senior characters in my novel, I really identify with this life affirming tale featuring an older protagonist.”
• This year’s Mount Beauty Writers Festival will be held on Saturday, October 12 at Mountain Monk Brewers (1 Lakeside Avenue, Mount Beauty), from 9am to 5:30pm.
To book your tickets and for more information, visit: www. mountbeautywritersfestival.com
Beechworth local receives Men’s Shed life membership
By CORAL COOKSLEY
RECEIVING life membership to a valued community-based organisation in Beechworth has been a special surprise for a long-time member.
Thrilled Beechworth Men’s Shed president Ian Smith said he had been very appreciative in receiving the membership.
Ian said he joined the Men’s Shed around two months after it started in the town 14 years ago, joining the steering committee at that time for the shed’s ongoing development.
“I’ve enjoyed being a member and enjoy the company as well as what I call my pastoral
work that I love in checking the well-being of members,” he said.
With the Australian Men’s Shed movement wrapped around men’s health and well–being Ian said the movement is also about the philosophy of camaraderie and talking shoulder to shoulder.
“I’ve always been on the committee and have been president for about seven years,” he said.
“My vision has always been men’s health and happiness and for them to enjoy themselves when they are here.”
Among numerous projects some highlights for Ian have been dementia awareness
workshops, men’s breakfasts and cluster meetings held with other sheds within the area.
Others have been on health and safety with a dust extractor system installed for a healthier working environment for members as well as many rewarding community projects undertaken by the Men’s Shed.
“We do bits and pieces for the hospital, bird nesting boxes for a local Landcare group and we have our bags of kindling for winter as our main fundraiser,” Ian said.
Beechworth Men’s Shed treasurer Brian Thornton said Ian had made a signifi-
cant contribution to the shed.
“As president Ian looks at the big picture and he’s the bloke who drives all the projects, manages the day to day running as well as improvements to the shed and they wouldn’t happen without him,” he said.
“Ian has always been looking after people’s welfare, liaises with Beechworth Health Service, Indigo Shire Council as well as other Men’s Sheds.
“He’s always been someone to lend an ear and have a chat to our members.
“Ian’s award is thoroughly deserved and was a unanimous decision by our members.”
COMING TO MT BEAUTY: Liz Foster will appear at the Mount Beauty Writers Festival to discuss her latest book.
GUEST AUTHOR: Lee Christine will feature her latest book, Glenrock.
CHUFFED: Beechworth Men’s Shed president Ian Smith is thrilled to have recently received life membership to the community-based organisation PHOTO: Coral Cooksley
Myrtleford student state’s VCE ‘Leader of the Year’
By PHOEBE MORGAN
MARIAN College Year 12 student, Isabelle Cooke, has been named the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s (VCAA) VCE ‘Leader of the Year’ during this year’s VCE Leadership Awards.
The presentation ceremony was held at the Treasury Theatre in Melbourne on Friday, September 13, with all eight of the Victorian student awardees present with their families and special guests.
Prior to the announcement, a three month application and interview process was conducted to get to know the students and their achievements, underpinning exemplary leadership and innovative community work.
During the evening all eight finalists were put through a Q&A session in front of the audience.
Isabelle was asked questions about her previous efforts taken to coordinate the Careers Expo at Marian College last year.
“I’m very grateful for this award, but incredibly surprised, to be honest,” she said.
“I went to the presentation evening and met the other leaders for Victoria and they were incredible.
“They all have an extensive history participating in leadership activities and programs, so I was very surprised.”
As for Isabelle’s future plans to become an architect, she said they remain unchanged.
“I still plan to go to university,” she said.
“I will study and engage with more community and leadership activities there.
“As a part of my award, Lenovo has gifted me a laptop to help me pursue my further education.
I’m very grateful for this award, but incredibly surprised, to be honest.”
- ISABELLE COOKE
“I consider myself lucky to be awarded the ‘Leader of the Year Award’ and this will allow me to achieve more leadership opportunities in the future.”
Victoria’s Minister for Education, Ben Carroll, congratulated all of the award recipients, acknowledging the meaningful impact they have had in their schools and communities while studying for their VCE and announced Isabelle as this year’s award winner.
“These young leaders’
achievements show that Victorian students are part of a global community and that our world-class education system is enabling them to grow, inspire and give back to their school and wider community,” Mr Carroll said.
“The VCE Leadership Awards embody everything the ‘Education State’ stands for: achieving excellence and giving every student the best opportunity to succeed, regardless of background or circumstance.”
OUTSTANDING YOUNG LEADER
ISABELLE Cooke was one of 20 students chosen in Victoria as a Rural Youth Ambassador last year, through a program run by the Country Education Project (CEP).
She went to the Education Department to talk to ministers about changes wanted in rural education, in rural mental health and rural career opportunities.
Isabelle helpedcreate a careers expo for students from Marian and Myrtleford P-12 colleges.
She has also been to Canberra to work with the Department of Home Affairs on advocating for rural civic engagement. Isabelle is currently deputy school captain for community development.
Beechworth to get a new ambulance station soon
By CORAL COOKSLEY
A NEW multi-million-dollar ambulance station set to be built in Beechworth will aim to provide better working conditions for paramedics and ensure lifesaving emergency care is available to the local community.
The station to be rebuilt on the existing site located in Frederick Street will house a three-bay garage for ambulances, multiple rest and recline areas for hard-working paramedics to recuperate as well as training facilities.
The building will also have a fully equipped kitchen, improved security and car parking to make sure paramedics are safe.
The existing branch will be demolished to pave way for the new double storey ambulance branch.
The project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with Ambulance Victoria.
A VHBA spokesperson said the State Government is building the station in Beechworth to make sure paramedics have facilities and support needed to quickly respond to emergencies and save lives.
“Planning is well underway for the new station which will be a fit-for-purpose and modern workplace with the latest equipment and facilities and ensure they can deliver the best care for their community,” the spokesperson said.
As Ambulance Victoria (AV) strives to improve response times, the latest statistics released from the last quarter of 2023/24 - April 1 to June 30 - has showed Indigo Shire with the greatest improvement across Victoria Code 1 emergency callouts.
Community invited to free agriculture expo at Dederang
By LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE
FARMERS, agribusinesses and rural community members are invited to enjoy A Little Bit of Relief Agriculture Expo next month, with mental health advocate Warren Davies (The Unbreakable Farmer) to be keynote speaker.
Alpine Shire Council is hosting the free event at the Dederang Recreation Reserve on October 18 to support the local farming communities, with the expo to feature agricultural industry services, farm safety demonstrations and business and health support, amongst other stalls and speakers.
Beyond Blue ambassador, Brad McEwan, will be the master of ceremonies and the event will feature a speech from Mr Davies, as well as working dog demonstrations with Gary White from White’s Kelpie Stud.
Mr White will also be holding a working day training school for up to fourteen participants from across the Alpine Shire on Thursday, October 17.
Mr Davies said storytelling plays a huge role in breaking down the stigma around mental health, and events like the expo provide a space for communities to come together in support.
“I’m fortunate to be able to travel around the country to share my stories and, hopefully, fulfil my mission of creating awareness and education around mental wellbeing in regional and rural communities,” he said.
“This mission was born out of my story as a dairy farmer in Northern Victoria and my own mental health struggles when we lost our farm in drought which also impacted my finances and relationships.
“I aim to inspire con-
“It’ so important to gather as a community and check in with other and yourself. We just have to sit and listen and let people know they’re supported.”
- Warren Davies
COMMUNITIES:
versations around mental health and empower people to seek help.
“Normalising these conversations is important...I think people relate to the
stories and it gives them permission to share their, or lets them know they’re not the only one feeling that way.
“There’s a number of factors that impacts the mental
health and wellbeing of rural and regional communities.
“The nature of the work, especially in the agriculture space, is isolating, you’re working alone with lots of think time and rural towns can have a lower socioeconomic status which makes people more susceptible to mental health struggles.
“Access to services is a big one; people often give up pursuing their mental health and wellbeing with professionals due to a lack of access, it can be really challenging.”
Mr Davies said the agriculture expo will create a welcoming environment for people to come together and talk.
“From experience, I know these events and venues create an environment where community comes together, share stories and connect with people and in a familiar space,” he said.
“It’s on their patch and an
agriculture expo isn’t new so weaving these messages in is a great environment to do so.
“It’ so important to gather as a community and check in with other and yourself.
“We just have to sit and listen and let people know they’re supported.”
The event was made possible through the Victorian government’s Emergency Recovery - Victoria’s Community Recovery Hubs grant program and the Australian Government in response to the October 2022 flood and landslip.
A Little Bit of Relief will run from 10am to 3pm on Friday, October 18 at the Dederang Recreation Reserve, with food stalls available onsite. For more information, visit https://engage.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/littlebit-relief-agricultural-expo To book into the Working Dog Training School visit https://forms.office.com/r/ uLbSyNJs6P.
SUPPORTING REGIONAL
The Unbreakable Farmer, Warren Davies, is a keynote speaker at the expo.
VICTORIAN HONOUR: Marian College year 12 student Isabelle Cook with her award after being announced as the state’s ‘Leader of the Year’.
Fire Services Property Levy was all the talk at Probus
By STEVE KELLY
THE Fire Services Property Levy was the topic of discussion at a recent Probus Club of Wangaratta meeting, with Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria District 23 president Garry Nash addressing members about the new charge.
The levy now appears as a charge on landholders’ annual municipal rates and not everyone is happy about paying it if a fair share of money doesn’t come back to regional areas.
Probus member Ken Clarke said Mr Nash’s presentation certainly made the point that all the money the government is collecting from regional areas is not coming back to the country.
“Most of the money is going to Fire Services Victoria and the CFA can’t continue to run if they continue to do this,” Mr Clarke said.
“Volunteers are always there as first responders outside the urban area and they’re paying a fire levy but they’re not getting any benefit from it.”
Most Probus members were charged a fixed amount of $132 this year, as not many live out in rural areas.
Farmers who do, will pay a variable charge based on the property’s classification and capital improved value.
However, you can apply for an exemption if you own or occupy multiple parcels of farmland which are used for a single farm enterprise.
Eligible single farm enterprises may only need to pay the fixed charge once for the farm property.
If you think you are eligible, contact the local council in which your farmland is located and request a single farm exemption application form.
You cannot object to the levy, but you can object to the valuation, and the Australian Valuation Property Classification Code (AVPCC), of your property. Contact Wangaratta council for more information.
By STEVE KELLY
MONEY MATTERS:
one of the audience members at a recent
QUESTION: Alan
(below) had a question about firefighting access to water resources.
Latest book recommendations
With Pauline Moncrieff, The Book Circle
THE September gathering of The Book Circle was held on Monday, September 23 and a variety of books were shared.
FICTION
The Last Dance - Mark Billingham
Meet Declan Miller, he is a ballroom dancer and English detective.
He is grieving for his wife, who was killed in the line of duty. He has two pet rats and talks to his dead wife.
A double murder in a seaside hotel sees Miller return to work, he has a dubious relationship with authority, little time for lazy colleagues, and even less for incompetent bosses.
What he has is an investigative mind and a quirky nature, he is fearless in his approach to the investigation, and soon stands on toes.
Is it gang-related?
He puts a rocket under the gangsters.
Is it a domestic crime?
He faces off with grieving widows.
Gangland bosses call in favours from high-ranking police and politicians, and the pressure on Miller grows.
It’s a bit different, but there is something about the novel that appeals, it is recommended.
Judgement Prey - John Sandford Supreme Court judge Alex Sand and his two sons are murdered in their backyard and there is no shortage of suspects.
The judge’s cases are re-examined to see if anyone has a vendetta.
The press applies pressure and US Marshals Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are called in to assist the FBI.
Davenport is a ruthless investiga-
tor who does not hesitate to kill, but Flowers is more sedate and will only use a weapon if he is being shot at.
They also have useful friends in high places, which is helpful when their methods are unorthodox.
Suddenly a new possible motive is found, and there are now suspects galore.
After some high-octane tension, the case is solved at last.
A very good read, typical Sandford, who is as consistently good as Connelly.
Blind Willow, Sleeping WomanHaruki Murakami
A combination of 24 stories, where stories, themes and settings combine in a strange way, as though in a dream. No matter what the subject, Murakami finds a way to draw the reader in.
The influence of Japanese folklore seems quite strong, with characters such as animated crows, a criminal monkey and an iceman.
In a sense, his writing is reminiscent of Aboriginal storytelling, where
the telling is the beating heart of the culture.
If you enjoyed the story of Tiddalick, the frog who caused a flood, you will like the stories of Murakami.
Nero - Conn Iggulden
Historical fiction, about the emperor Nero (37CE - 63CE), the last Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
The two main characters are Nero and his mother Agrippina.
Nero’s father was a wealthy man who died when Nero was young.
This novel is about Nero from a baby to about 11 years old, and his life with a very protective mother.
Agrippina’s second husband was a wealthy and honest man, whom she poisoned.
She had a manipulative, scheming and cold-blooded approach to reach her final goal, which was to be the wife of an emperor.
She eventually married the Emperor Claudius, and manoeuvred to have Nero named as his heir.
Fall of Giants - Ken Follett
This breath-taking historical novel begins before WWI, and cleverly merges fact with fiction.
It follows five families through the war, the Russian Revolution and the struggle for votes for women.
This the first volume of a trilogy, and is highly recommended.
Dead Tide - Flona McIntosh
The story begins in London, where newly-promoted Detective Superintendent Jack Hawksworth is a guest lecturer at a university.
When one of his students dies under suspicious circumstances, Jack is drawn into the investigation.
Jack’s quest draws him to Adelaide, where he finds a cynical international crime consortium preying on the anguish of childless couples and vulnerable women.
The author herself has had experience with IVF.
The story moves along at a brisk pace, and is quite compelling.
Private - James Patterson
This novel combines several plots, and the pace never lets up.
A compelling story.
The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay
This novel is set in South Africa during the 1930s and 1940s.
It is thought to be based largely on his own life, and concerns the cruel suffering of a little boy.
At the age of five, the child was sent to boarding school, where he was bullied.
He learned how to box, in order to survive.
Courtenay’s own life experiences are reflected throughout the novel.
He attended a prestigious private high school, and then studied journalism at an English university.
He was banned from returning to South Africa on account of his activism against the apartheid regime.
Later he fell in love with an Australian woman, Benita, while studying in England, and he followed her to Sydney, where they were married.
A compelling mix of fact and fiction, the novel gives us a graphic picture of life in South Africa at that time.
NON-FICTION
The Bravest Scout at GallipoliRyan Butta
Born of an Australian father and a Japanese mother, Harry Freame inherited his father’s wandering ways, and was soon a world traveller.
At the outbreak of WWI, Harry was 34, and was part of the first Gallipoli landing.
He became an invaluable scout, and was wounded 18 times in the four months he was there.
He was then transported back to Australia and discharged.
He worked hard and fruitlessly on his soldier settlement block, and was approached to do intelligence work in Japan during WWII, which he saw as a way to repay his mounting debts.
Before he left, a newspaper revealed his identity to the world.
He survived an attempted garrotting in Japan, but eventually died from his injuries.
Shamefully, the Australian government would take no responsibility for his death.
The authorities seized the debtridden farm and left Harry’s family destitute.
He was a true hero who served an ungrateful nation.
Tracks - Robyn Davidson
The memoir of a woman who crossed 2700 km across the desert with her dog, from Alice Springs to the west coast of Western Australia.
Moylan
SHAKE ON IT: Richard Gray (right) welcomes Garry Nash to the meeting.
ATTENTIVE: Probus members were all ears listening to Garry Nash.
Probus member Ken Clarke (left) was
Probus Club of Wangaratta meeting where Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria District 23 president Garry Nash was guest speaker.
PHOTOS: Kurt Hickling
Junior Reporter Club
ACROSS
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD
1 When one formulates, one does what (6)
8 Name a more common term for a lycanthrope (8)
9 Which musical direction means slowly (6)
10 What is an apostate from a religious faith (8)
11 What is a colloquial term for a kid (3,3)
12 Name the horizontal piece beneath a window (4)
13 Which term suggests the minimum (5)
16 To apportion, is to do what (5)
19 To be above, is to be where (4)
21 What is a place, or a site (6)
22 To enlarge, is to do what (8)
23 What is another term for dwelling places (6)
24 What are arithmetical means (8)
25 Name an annual Christian festival (6)
DOWN
2 Which early English worker organised to destroy manufacturing machinery (7)
3 Name spectacles devised to protect the eyes from wind, dust, etc (7)
4 What are long-bladed weapons (6)
5 When one lays something open to view, one does what (7)
6 What is a stroke of good luck (7)
7 What is a transgression (7)
13 Name an Australian political party (7)
14 What are some Parisian gangsters called (7)
15 What is a striking scene (7)
E-QUATIONS
17 What is another term for bullies (7)
18 To alleviate pain, is to do what (7)
20 Name a polite addition to a request (6)
Find the following words in the grid. They may be read in any direction, even diagonally. Some letters are used more than once.
1 ARBITRARY
(a)Not bound by rules
(b) Tree-dwelling
(c)Savouring of the past
2 BOMBORA
(a) A rich mass of gold
(b) A dangerous current over a submerged reef
(c) A fenced enclosure
BIYWORD
Build it yourself using the clues and each of the twenty-four letters once only to form ten words: five across and five down. A key word (bold clue) builds on the letter set in the grid.
CLUES:
Biology: fluid-filled cavity (3)
Earth (5)
Foot of bill (3)
European peak: Mont ... (5)
Fruit drink (7)
Past tense: be (3)
Print types (5)
Small sterile dressing (7)
Underground operation (coll) (5)
Use a spade (3)
Fertiliser prices stuck in limbo
BY KURT HICKLING khickling@ nemedia.com.au
PRICES for the three major fertilisers used by local farmers - nitrogen, phosphates, urea and potash - have gradually eased from the highs seen in 2022, when there was a sharp spike in global fertiliser prices with the outbreak of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
And although prices remain high against historical levels, agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank expects muted global demand from across the fertiliser market to seep into prices within the coming six months with the weaker demand helping to offset global supply issues and keep fertiliser prices in a tight range.
Australian farmers are hugely dependent on other countries for fertiliser supply with very little of the chiefly-used fertilisers manufactured locally.
International supply and demand issues have a direct impact on Australian fertiliser prices and ability to procure fertiliser, with Australia being a relatively
small player in the global buyer market and not in a position to dictate prices.
pressure on local farmers’ input costings.
“Farmers locally are currently paying $700/tonne for urea, $700/tonne for Pottash and $1100/tonne for DOP which is has a nitrogen component.
“While prices have not moved up, they will certainly not drop in a hurry.
“One of the concerns is Russia and China are in discussion and at this point, neither country are choosing to trade, forcing Australia to seek the European market which is trading at a higher rate.
“Unfortunately, Australia has no influence in the price structure, regardless, local farmers rely on inputs to sustain their crops.
“The good news is the supply of fertilisers has no issue as there is no shortage moving forward.
Wangaratta AG Warehouse senior agronomist Bec Bingley believes while Rabobank is forecasting price decreases in Australia, there are no current indications in the market that prove this price reprieve will be passed onto local farmers.
decline in the near future,” Ms Bingley said.
“Currently fertiliser prices are up slightly for all trading companies and show no
PEOPLE POWER: Greta Valley Landcare Group members and friends aim to extend on their revegetation work thanks to funding received from the 2024 Victorian Landcare Grants.
Landcare funding to help revegetate land in Greta
By ANITA MCPHERSON
LOCAL landholders who are members of the Greta Valley Landcare Group will have the opportunity to revegetate their properties with the help of $20,000 in funding awarded as part of the 2024 Victorian Landcare Grants.
In the North East catchment region, $282,020 has been allocated to 17 onground projects and educational activities focused on biodiversity protection through the grant program.
Ovens Landcare Network facilitator Penny Raleigh said the funding received by
the Greta Valley Landcare Group will help subsidise the cost of revegetation on the properties of up to 15 members.
She said the group is now in the process of seeking expressions of interest, with applications to be assessed in coming weeks.
“We are putting the call out for expressions of interest which will be assessed by the project officer and for those who are successful, planting will take place next autumn/winter,” she said.
“The revegetation (using local Indigenous species) may be undertaken for the biodiversity benefits, but it
may also be done to provide shade and shelter for stock like cattle and sheep.”
Landholders interested in taking part can join the Greta Valley Landcare Group and then apply, while current members will be notified of the opportunity via email.
To find out more, contact gretalandcare.org.au or via its Facebook page.
The project is one of a many being undertaken by the Greta Valley Landcare Group, a not-for-profit group which aims to improve the health of the land and farm productivity in its catchment.
“Our prices are being driven by the Indian market due to their requirements which impacts local farmers here as we are forced to follow
the international trend of fertiliser prices.
“Compared to this time last year, prices have remained fair compared to other years where pricing has been significantly higher, putting added
“Right now, fertiliser pricing is not the big problem, it’s the current environment as we have experienced little rainfall and five frosts in the last 10 days which has had an impact on crops.
“We are relying on a good rainfall in October to set things up for summer crops and to commence fertilising.”
Wangaratta Livestock
LIMBO: AG Warehouse agronomist Bec Bingley says local farmers will not see a reprieve in fertiliser prices in the near future. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling.
Wh W ile prices have not moved up, thhey will certainly not drop in a hurry.
- Agronomist Bec Bingley
Planning and Environment Act Regulations 2015 (Form 2, section 52(1)) NOTICE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A PLANNING PERMIT
The land affected by the application is located at:
• Lots 1, 2 and 3 on TP753880B, Volume 05915 Folio 852
The use and development of the land for a solar energy facility and utility installation, associated buildings and works, display of a business identification sign and the removal of native vegetation.
Note: This is a summary. Full details of the proposal are contained within the application documentation
The applicant for the permit is:
Meadow Creek Solar Farm Pty Ltd c/- Urbis Ltd
The application reference number is: PA2403133
You may look at the application and any documents that support the application at the office of the Responsible Authority.
Minister for Planning c/- Department of Transport and Planning
To view applications and supporting documents in person, please email hannah.x.scott@transport. vic.gov.au to make an appointment to view the plans. This can be done during office hours and is free of charge. The plans may also be viewed online at https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/permits-andapplications/ministerial-permits/browse-ministerial-permits.
• Any person who may be affected by the granting of the permit may object or make other submissions to the responsible authority by email to development.approvals@transport.vic. gov.au or by post to Attention: Hannah Scott, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000.
An objection must:
• be made to the Responsible Authority in writing,
• include the reasons for the objection, and
• state how the objector would be affected.
The responsible authority must make a copy of every objection available at its office for any person to inspect during office hours free of charge until the end of the period during which an application may be made for review of a decision on the application.
The responsible authority will not decide on the application before: 29 OCTOBER 2024
If you object, the responsible authority will tell you its decision.
FLY fishing course, full day course covers the basics of fly fishing, including equipment, casting tuition, fly selection and streamcraft, to be held on Sunday, October 13, 10am4pm at the Log Cabin, 28 Chisholm Street, Wangaratta, cost $70 includes lunch.
To book your place contact 0427 756 665.
2023 Suzuki Jimny, 33,000km, winch bullbar, no off road, reg (1WA2IT), $26,000. Ph 0427 077 572.
CONCRETING, big or small jobs, paths, driveways, shed slabs, verandahs, 15 years experience. For a free quote phone Trev Anderson on 0422 200 761.
KITCHENS JUST FOR YOU, cabinet making solutions. Kitchens available before Christmas. Phone Roland 0414 950 647.
PAINTER, old school, for all your painting needs, commercial, industrial renovations. Phone Juliano 0412 597 482.
2014 Jeep Wrangle r Sport Unlimited, convertible hard top, automatic, petrol 3.6 litre, loads o f accessories, such as fog lights, hill descent, etc. goes anywhere, looks awesome in hard to get red, RWC, rego (2AD5JL), $24,999, Mansfield. Ph 0403 359 006.
SUBARU Forester
2015 auto, tow bar, RWC, reg (1EU8LU), 286,000km, excellent condition, full y serviced $12,000. Contact Ian 0414 428 544.
HONDA XR250R ‘86MD VIN: ME065200456, Honda XL25OR ‘84MD, VIN: MD11-5103978, both bikes in good order, call for further info, $1700 each. Ph 0407 316 788.
sale 8’ x 5’ galv steel tipping trailer, good condition, with ramps for ride on mower or small tractor loading, Situated Euroa $1500 ono. Ph 0429 803 505.
WHEELER Earthworks, available for all your earthworks needsyard clean ups, stump removals, driveways, material supply and spreading, rural work and more. Call Marcus on 0491 094 545.
2016 Mitsubushi QE Pajero Sport GLS, auto, 113,000km, heaps of extras, great car, reg (CMN23Y), $38,000 ono. Ph 0427 500 961.
Passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 19, 2024 at Blackwood Cottage, Beechworth. Aged 86 years.
Beloved husband of Francesca (dec). Loved father of Filip, Sam and Belinda. Loved father-in-law of Angela and Justin. Nonno of Alexia, Jye, Penelope and Sidney. Forever in our hearts.
CANNIZZARO
Funeral prayers for the life of Giuseppe will be offered at St Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1 Ford Street, Wangaratta on Friday, October 4, 2024 commencing at 10.30am. A private burial will follow. Refreshments will be offered at North East Funerals at the conclusion of the service.
Read local news
MULLINS, Tracy.
In loving memory of our darling Tracy, who
“Always in our
~ Mum Kellie and Shaun.
PHOTOGRAPHER Marc Bongers took some ripping shots at the Ovens and Murray thirds grand final between Wangaratta Rovers and Wangaratta. Photos can be purchased at the Wangaratta Chronicle office.
HARVEY CORRELL
KEAHN DRISCOLL AND TREY VINCENT
PRESTON COLEMAN
SAM ROURKE
ASHER SIMMONDS
SAM ALLAN
KADE HADLEY
COOPER GRACIE AND MAX BIHUN
SAM COMENSOLI
MAX BIHUN
KADE HADLEY
COOPER GRACIE
CODY JOHNSON
HARVEY CORRELL
Reid reflects on time at ‘Pies
BY WILLSON MACK wmack@ nemedia.com.au
OUTGOING Wangaratta
Magpies senior football coach Ben Reid will forever remember his time at Norm Minns Oval.
The 2010 Collingwood premiership player spent four seasons at Norm Minns Oval where he coached the Magpies for three years, two as player coach and one as coach, taking Wangaratta to premiership glory in 2022 before the flag was sensationally stripped.
Reid joined Wangaratta fresh off finishing his AFL career with Collingwood in 2020, immediately throwing himself into country footy.
“It’s been nearly four years now and I’ve really enjoyed my time at the club,” he said.
“It’s been great to be back at a country club with people of the Wangaratta community – I’ve really enjoyed that aspect.
“Everyone at the club are great people, from the footballers and netballers to the volunteers.”
After two years as a playing coach, 2024 saw a change of scenery for the 35-year-old after retiring from playing, relocating to the coaches box.
“Just coaching has been a lot different to player coaching,” he said.
“It’s been different sitting in the coaches box and not being able to impact on the field, but I’ve enjoyed learning that side of things.
“I’m definitely a more rounded coach having done both sides of it.”
Reid has played a pivotal part in developing some of Wangaratta’s future stars over the past four seasons which he said is a part of the job he’ll miss the most.
“Developing the young guys has been a really rewarding part of the job,” he said.
“There’s some guys who have come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years and have gone from graduating thirds footy to playing in the seniors.
“If you look at the reserves side that won the grand final this season there’s 10-12 players there who played senior footy with us this year.”
Reid’s time at the Magpies wasn’t all smooth sailing though with his side’s 2022 premiership stripped after salary cap breaches.
Despite the Ovens and Murray history books not having the Magpies as premiers in 2022, Reid will always count the grand final win as a premiership.
“The flag’s the highlight, that feeling that you get when collectively you all work so hard to achieve a common goal is something you can’t get anywhere else,” he said.
“That group from 2022, including coaches, volunteers and the board will be connected for the rest of their lives.
“We played some fantas-
tic footy that year and I had some people saying at times we were playing some of the best football that’s been seen in the O&M.
“All the stuff that happened after we won is background noise now, the majority of people I speak to about it say that we won it.
“So to me it’s still a premiership that we won and the people at the O&M and AFLNEB who took it away from us don’t matter, some people don’t have any idea how a footy club works.”
Wangaratta battled the tribunal’s call to take the premiership away but an unsuccessful appeal saw the decision upheld.
Reid admitted it was an incredibly tough period.
“It was definitely a tough time and I tried to remove
myself from at as much as I could, my job was just trying to keep everyone together,” he said.
“There were blokes who were potentially going to leave the club to go and play out bush because they were that annoyed with the O&M.
“A few of those players were pretty highly credentialed guys that would’ve been a massive loss for the league.
“So my job was just trying to keep the boys engaged, and for us to go on and make a preliminary final that year was a huge effort and showed the resilience of everyone at the club.
“During that time we had Melbourne Storm come in and have a chat to us because they had a similar thing happen, but just on a much larger scale and they said they still celebrated and have
reunions for that premiership.
“Winning a flag is hard work and everyone inside the four walls know how hard we worked that year to achieve it.”
The Magpies have seen some incredible players pull on the black and white over the past few years with the likes of Joe Richards and Callum Moore two of the most talented players to play in the O&M in recent times.
“Joey (Richards) and ‘Cal (Moore) in terms of talent are definitely two of the best I’ve coached and played with,” he said.
“Both are capable of turning a match on its head and some clubs are lucky to even have one of those players and we had two running around for a bit there.
“Daniel Sharrock’s another one, people don’t understand
how big of a loss he was for us this year, he was arguably the best player in the competition last year.
“And then guys like Daine Porter, he’ll go down as one of the greatest of all time at Wangaratta, ‘Juice’ (Michael Newton), Matt Grossman and Matt Kelly all gave so much to the club as well.”
Reid and his wife Erin are now plotting their next move with the arrival of their second child in March next year set to keep them busy.
“We’re not too sure what we’re doing next,” he said.
“We’ve got a baby girl due in March next year so we’re just weighing everything up but we’ll potentially move somewhere else.
“In terms of footy I’m looking forward to taking a proper break but I’ll definitely still be involved in some way.”
UPS AND DOWNS: Ben Reid with the 2022 premiership cup before the title was sensationally stripped.DONE AND DUSTED: Ben Reid (right) has finished up as Wangaratta coach.
REID REFLECTS
OUTGOING Wangraatta coach Ben Reid takes a look back at his four seasons at Norm Minns Oval.
Story: Page 19
Locals were part of AFL’s day of days
By WILLSON MACK
WANGARATTA locals were in the thick of the action on AFL grand final day at the MCG.
Darcy Wilson came oh so close to claiming the AFL Grand Final Sprint, finishing behind Collingwood’s Beau McCreery in the smallest of margins. After finishing second in his heat to North Melbourne’s Eddie Ford, Wilson was just behind McCreery in the final, who ran a blistering time of 10:18.
Along with Wilson, Wangaratta’s own Steve Johnson also featured on centre stage when he presented the Norm Smith Medal to Brisbane young gun Will Ashcroft. That wasn’t it for locals though with three Auskickers presenting premiership medals to the victorious Lions players. Along with presenting medals, Whorouly’s Phoebe Cresswell and Lenny White and Tarrawingee’s Lachlan Jones also got to participate in the grand final parade and even walk the red carpet event in the leadup to the last Saturday in September.
Good get for turf club
THE Wangaratta Turf Club will host an Inglis breeze up session tomorrow.
As part of the highly-touted Inglis Ready2Race sale, Wangaratta is one of three venues hosting breeze up days for the sale, with the other venues being Hawkesbury in NSW and Taupo in New Zealand.
WILLSON MACK
wmack@ nemedia.com.au
A breeze-up horse sale is a type of auction where young thoroughbred horses are sold after undergoing a brief period of training known as “breeze-up” or
“gallop out” period.
Wangaratta Turf Club chief executive officer Sean Barrett said it was a good get for the club.
“It’s exciting for the club and adds something different to what our normal dayto-day is,” Barrett said.
“It’s a huge credit to the investment that the club has
made into our facilities and as we’ve seen by our trainers numbers the investment is paying off
“They approached us and came and had a look at our facilities.
“To be one of three clubs to hold the event is pretty cool.”
The club will host up to 81 horses conducting breeze
ups across the fibre-sand and grass tracks.
Local trainers Tal (Vincent) Nolen (19 horses), Peter Moffatt (6) and Shaun Nolen (4) will all feature at the event.
The day will be split into three sessions.
“The first two sessions will be on the fibre-sand track and then the final will be on the grass.
“There’ll be a break in between the fibre-sand sessions for our track team to fix the track up so it’ll be a busy day for them.”
“We’ll have three sessions throughout the day with the first kicking off at 11am,” Barrett said.
