Vic

We’re back - Stronger Together at the Petrogas Burrumbeet Cup.

Kaiser Reef’s 100th gold bar was poured at The Porcupine Flat Processing Plant in Maldon last week. The  Times  was lucky enough to be there to record the exciting moment ... Processing Manager Dylan Morgan, dressed in his protective fireproof coat and PPE, poured out the molten lava-like mix which was the liquid gold.  

Carriage driving is the quiet achiever in Australian horse sport. It is the harness answer to eventing ... Showing just how popular the sport is, competitors from five states recently took part in the second annual “battle of the border” level two combined driving event at Mullengandra near Albury.

A History of the Castlemaine to Maryborough Railway  is a recently published book written by Ken James and David Langley. At 428 pages, it’s a doorstopper of a book that is painstakingly researched, well-illustrated and comprehensive in its scope. For railway tragics and history buffs, it’s a must-buy; and for others, it’s a cracking good read.

Maldon Inc held a special Christmas celebration at the Panacea Estate Winery last Saturday for members to meet and mingle with the new committee.  The new Maldon Inc committee’s mission is to bring members together to build ‘Stronger Business, Stronger Community, and a Stronger Maldon’, and the committee is looking forward to putting many of its plans into action in 2023.

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As the Albanese Government is trying to rush through its water recovery strategy before Christmas, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s sand slug has been very active. Like a mythical creature that lurks in the watery depths, the sand slug was the MDBA’s answer to why the natural constraint of the Barmah Choke had reduced in water delivery capacity ... A recent photo from grass roots community members continues to highlight the rapid rate of erosion at Davies Beach, Cobram.

China Gibson. The 2022 flood will be the new 100-year flood level in the Edward at Moulamein. The old record was 6.094m. I think we got to 6.235m ... When you start to open banks, block banks or leave banks that stop water flow, it always affects someone else. That is the way floods are. The old saying has always been, “Fires unite, floods divide.” Pretty close to the truth ... Before all this flood stuff got real, I noticed that some of our frogs had laid their eggs in some wheel tracks that had water in them ...

Two very talented street art and design artists have helped the Murrabit Group School students capture the natural world and add some colour to the school. Melbourne based Chuck Mayfield and Brian Itch travel the world with their skills, completing works at festivals, schools, shopping centres, churches, buildings, glow laser tag parlours, video games and hosting their own exhibitions.

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Maldon's Public Pool opened last Saturday, attracting a good number of people for a much-anticipated cool-off. Squeals and shrieks broke the silence as the pool officially entered its summer season and swimmers said goodbye to the cold weather.

Move over Boomers and Gen X - the Millenials have become a leading influence in the world of politics. Reflecting this generational change is the recent election of Mt Alexander Shire’s Mayor, Rosie Annear ... The greatest need in the Shire at present, according to Rosie, is for secure, safe housing.

Sometimes, an action that has been carried out with the best of intentions can have unintended consequences. That would appear to be the case when it comes to the red Christmas Shop/North Pole signs that have been added to the wooden direction post on Bank Corner.

Equestrian photographer Felicity Clay is passionate about saving the Australian Brumby and fans of her work can contribute to the cause through the purchase of her annual Brumby calendar. “I've been photographing the Brumbies in the Barmah National Park since 2018,” Felicity said.

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Author Leslie Scott never expected that a rumour about wild horses roaming on a mountain near her home would consume months of her life and result in such a deep connection between animal and human. Set in rural Victoria, Once Were Wild is an easy-to-read book that recounts the moment Leslie finds two brumbies amongst the rugged terrain of Mount Beckworth near the town of Clunes.

Residents and landholders have breathed a sigh of relief this week as flood waters peaked at Moulamein at a height of 6.235m. While the peak is a welcome sign, the impacts of the flooding are still dramatic on the community ... In what is typically a busy time for mixed irrigators of Moulamein, the flooding is hampering the harvest of winter crops and rice production.

As the weather warms up and dissolved oxygen in the local rivers and creeks remain dangerously low, the community is leading the fish protection response. From old bedframes with dripper lines supplied with air compressors, to garden hoses circulating water, and even a paddleboat churning through $700 in fuel per week in an effort to provide an oxygenated refuge for native fish. The Murray Downs Marina dissolved oxygen went up above 5mg/L after four days with the Iron Dry paddle boat running.

New GP with Ochre Medical Centre Cohuna, Dr Gilda Geranmayeh, is delighted to finally be here. Originally from Iran, Dr Geranmayeh spent four years of her childhood in Adelaide while her father completed a PhD in geochemistry and she has been keen to return ever since.

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Two of the world’s leading palaeontologists along with scientific researchers and educators have gathered to discuss the importance of the Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail in Inverloch ... "It is a true legacy project for Council to be at the forefront of creating a world class tourism experience that celebrates the work of scientists, volunteers and the international significance of polar dinosaurs to the Australian Continent": Bass Coast Mayor Michael Whelan.