Lloyd Polkinghorne, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Kirstin Nicholson interviews Shaniah Dye: "I thought, what better thing to do than start my own business where I can work with the animals that I love the most and be able to talk to people who have similar hobbies, instead of going out to a workplace where I didn’t feel I could relate to people at that time. That was pretty much how Blue Poppy Equines started, it was my new opening into the world. "

What a great weekend for golf in our area. The 48th Northern Victorian Triple Golfanza was played over the Labour Day weekend, at Cohuna on Saturday, Barham on Sunday and Kerang on Monday. Attracting capacity fields each day, this event was patronised with representatives from 37 different clubs, with large contingents from Goonawarra, Carrington Park, Mooroopna, Belvoir Park, Cardinia-Beacon Hills and Neangar Park Golf Clubs.

Last week the stars aligned, the heavens opened and upon rays of golden light came a contingent of politicians and bureaucrats to witness what the current water policy decisions are doing to our economy, food producers and environment. The attendance of such dignitaries was less to do with heavenly intervention, but mainly blood, sweat and tears by those who tirelessly advocate to end the government sanctioned destruction.

In one of Victoria's largest horse events, and with COVID-19 restrictions in place, Olivia Griffiths and Amber King-Gee competed in the Pony Club Victoria State Show Jumping Championships at Benalla Equestrian Centre on Sunday, February 28.

Ali Bohn. Part of the appeal of raising kids in the country is the freedom and wide-open spaces they get to enjoy in what (we hope) is an adventurous but safe environment. For these Cohuna brothers, a regular weekend means heading out to the farm with their dad, Dave Toohey, to do cattle work. They have lived and breathed farming since before they could walk, so at 9 and 10 respectively, Charlie and Hunter are "pros" at farming.

Koondrook-Perricoota Forest is Australia's largest redgum forest spanning 33,759Ha. As you drive past the KP Forest on the Moulamein Road it is hard to ignore the colossal banks and outlets that lay dormant. The huge engineering exercise costing more than $100 million was the NSW State Government's approach to meeting Murray Darling Basin Plan objectives. Unable to use the engineering white elephant and KP Forest's health still dire, the community is leading the charge to find a workable, pragmatic solution that can be driven by people invested in the outcome.

Kirstin Nicholson. This week we introduce you to Mark Bishop and Clancy Graham from Sunbury who, along with their four children, Isabella, Connor, Henry and Beau, aged four to ten, now call Cohuna home. Mark and Clancy purchased a house on the edge of Cohuna and moved in last month.