James Phelps Memorial and replica plough: history for all to see
Maureen Donnellon. James Phelps established his blacksmith’s foundry at Birchip’s five ways in 1890 ... Both plough and monument were first unveiled for the Centenary of Birchip in 1982 and it is wonderful to see them back where they belong, this time, together ... The replica plough has been painstakingly restored by the Birchip Men’s Shed
St. Arnaud’s “almost” Bird-of-Paradise
Anne Hughes. The ground-walking, weak-flying birds you see on your trip down the Sunraysia Highway to Ballarat are one of Australia’s most amazing birds - the White-winged Chough (pron. chuff). With their sooty-black livery, startling ruby-red eyes and, when they take to the air, black-edged white wings they are obviously not crows (we don’t have ’em down here) or ravens either.
Some practical tips for being prepared
At recent Birchip and Wycheproof Probus Club meetings, an intriguing question from the Buloke Shire Council’s Community Recovery Team kicked off an essential conversation: “If you had to leave your home in a hurry, what would you take?” This question opened up a broader discussion on emergency preparedness, emphasising the need to know what to pack and where to find reliable information.
A lifetime in a great game
Three cricketers who have played more games than they care to remember have enjoyed representing Vic Country at the annual Echuca over-60s carnival last week. For those old enough to remember, Shane Noonan played for Charlton, particularly during the 1980s, after debuting for Wychitella.
Flatter than flatlands heading back to Birchip
Hang gliders will converge on the car-tow launching capital of Australia these Easter holidays for the 33rd annual Birchip Flatter than the Flatlands. Birchip’s Easter competition has grown significantly since the first event in April 1992 with more than 40 pilots expected to attend this year, which is a 30 per cent increase on last year.
Peta Credlin – proud of where she comes from
Remember that old saying, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl”? Peta Credlin AO, host of the “Credlin” program on Sky News Australia, columnist with News Corp, and former Australian Liberal Party dynamo, amongst many other accolades, made a flying visit to Wycheproof over the recent long weekend.
Partnership launched . . . wellbeing “flies” into Wycheproof
East Wimmera Health Service and Flying Doctor Wellbeing have partnered to bring increased mental health support to Wycheproof. Starting in March, Pat Boyer, an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, will be seeing clients face-to-face at East Wimmera Health Service, and delivering telehealth services across the catchment in partnership with Flying Doctor Wellbeing.
