Vic

The Mildura Arts Centre (MAC) will host the premiere screening of a new documentary film inspired by the internationally recognised MAC Collection this month. An Improbable Collection is the work of renowned film director Bruce Beresford and photographer Cordelia Beresford and will been screened in the MAC Theatre at 7:30pm on Saturday 17 April. The film focuses on the colourful careers of artists Sir William Orpen and Sir Frank Brangwyn, whose works Bruce saw for the first time in London in the 1970s.

Kendall Jennings. I have never been so close to racing before, a privilege for owners, trainers and the media. Oh my, I was in for a treat, feeling like a kid at the lolly shop, eyes wide and smiles everywhere. I was treated to an all-area pass, and I made the most of it. I spoke to jockeys, trainers, owners and volunteers, absorbing as much as I could to learn more about horse racing—everything from horse earmuffs to shoes.

Kirstin Nicholson. Cohuna has lost another of its bank branches with the closure of the ANZ Bank on March 19. It is the third bank branch to close its doors in recent years, following in the footsteps of the Commonwealth Bank and Bendigo Bank. The NAB is the only bank branch still operating in the district. Staff from the branch have been relocated to neighbouring towns or have taken packages.

Under the government lead water reforms, water trading is mostly unregulated, not even requiring an ABN to trade water. “There is no law against market manipulation in the Murray-Darling Basin water markets,” ACCC deputy chair, Mr Keogh said. “So, it’s not illegal, even if it is occurring.” In Australia we now have multinational corporates, foreign buyers and the big end of town able to buy, trade and, in some instances, remain capital gains tax free as they bid for water against Aussie food and fibre producers.

Geoff Helisma. Prue Leggoe was awarded her Order of Australia Medal on January 26, 2019, for her work in the advancement of women’s rights, support and empowerment, and her service to community job-readiness initiatives. Now residing in Maclean, Ms Leggoe (formerly Sibree) was the Liberal member for Kew in Victoria from 1981 to 1986.

Bendigo and region is Australia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, so this is the perfect way to highlight all we have to offer and help people design the perfect day trip or weekend away.

Deep anger, fear and resentment has been exposed during the first public meeting at Newlyn to discuss the proposed Western Victorian Transmission Network ... The Western Victorian project is earmarked as the first of eight across Australia, including Victorian Government plans to ‘grid the state’. “Locals are very alert that the fight for their rights and livelihoods is being watched by communities across the nation. These residents are setting the precedent,” Mrs McArthur said.

Kirstin Nicholson. “Everyone has their own role and responsibility. The three events are all different technicalities where you’ve all got to gel together and work as a team, but there’s also a bit of speed put in. Between first and third place sometimes there’s not even one second,” explained Brigade captain, Matthew Trigg. Matthew cannot speak highly enough of the team and it is clear he is impressed with their effort and achievement. “The crew works really well together. We haven’t had much training, and it shows you their dedication. When we get down there, we make every minute count.”

Stunned fishermen have had a close encounter with what they described as a ‘Sand Slug’. Once thought to be a tale of folklore, the mythical creature rose to public awareness after a Sand Slug was reported to have caused the blocking of the Barmah Choke.

A beautiful soaking rain has fallen around the district this week. Falls from 15 to 30mm have been recorded and the timing couldn’t be better as farmers are busy sowing pasture and preparing for winter crop cereal plantings. The chorus of birds and life in the forest has also been rejoicing, there is nothing quite like the gentle patter of rain through the tree canopy. Irrigators will be keeping a watchful eye on storages as inflows are on the rise. With huge rains in the floodplain harvesting regions of northern NSW it will be interesting to see the volumes of unlicenced and unmetered water intercepted. Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, posted this week, “It was 117 years ago that poet Dorothea Mackellar proclaimed Australia as the ‘land of drought and flooding rains.’ “I wonder if, in the next 100 years, we might start expecting and planning for them?” We live in hope!

The annual Murrabit Cod Challenge was held over the weekend of March 19-21, an event run each year by the Murrabit Football and Netball Club to raise funds for their club. The event has been running since 2009 and is run 100% by local volunteers. Entries for the competition were capped at 300 adult tickets and sold out in just over a week, proving to be a very popular event. There were also 39 enthusiastic junior competitors entered, who were all lucky enough to take home an assortment of prizes donated by Hookem Fishing.

Kendall Jennings. Jaydyn Coggins is a former student from Barham Primary School. The school had cups and that is where Jaydyn first tried sport stacking. At this moment the world changed for Jaydyn, his family moved to Adelaide after he completed year one. Then, at nine years old, Jaydyn rediscovered the sport on YouTube, but it would also be the start of an obsession with sport stacking. With the support of his family, at 15, Jaydyn quickly became the fastest cup stacker in Australia, with a dream to travel overseas to the World Sport Stacking Championships. As a young man with Autism, Jaydyn has had his hurdles to overcome throughout the years and so, when he found a sport that he not only loved, but excelled in, there was no turning back.

Sunraysia audiences will have the rare opportunity of seeing one of Australian music’s most iconic performers live in their own region when Archie Roach takes to the Mildura Arts Centre (MAC) stage this month.

Kirstin Nicholson. Organisers of Sunday’s AWMA Water Control Solutions 28th Cohuna Bridge to Bridge are thrilled with the day. Cooler weather presented ideal conditions for entrants who competed in seven running and cycling events from as early as 8am ... Entrants travelled from across Victoria and New South Wales to participate, with many staying overnight and injecting cash into local businesses. With events catering for all ages and abilities, participants ranged from serious runners and cyclists to those out for a leisurely Sunday walk, with many ex-locals returning for the event.

The Wakool Show was back with a fantastic flurry of fun, food, music and entertainment. This year’s show was rolled into one action packed evening and the community support was fantastic with families coming from Wakool, Moulamein, Koondrook-Barham and Deniliquin.

David Landini, Riverina State Group. The Labor party victories in the recent Queensland and West Australian State elections are a reminder that a Labor government will eventually be elected federally as well.