Many Rochester residents will no doubt welcome the news that 11Gl of water is about to be released down the Campaspe River from a brimming Lake Eppalock.
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But some might be a bit mystified that it is happening to improve the health of the river downstream given the catastrophic flood event of last year.
But a lot of residents are still on tenterhooks about the water Lake Eppalock currently holds and where it would end up if there were another major rain event.
Pride of the Murray
It’s a project with an estimated cost of $1.5 million but the Pride of the Murray paddleboat has risen from her temporary watery grave.
Pride of the Murray attracted national interest early last year when trucked from Echuca to Longreach in Queensland to be a tourist attraction on the Thomson River.
But disaster struck in March of this year when the 99-year-old vessel sunk at its moorings, where it had been until last week’s rescue mission.
Owner Richard Kinnon, who conducts the business Outback Tours, said the Pride of the Murray meant a lot to him and he felt he had a duty to try to repair it despite the hefty cost.
Boat builders have been assessing the future of the Pride of the Murray since it was raised.
Welcome rainfall
Rain last Friday and Saturday has been welcomed, particularly by grain growers.
Some 11mm was recorded over the two days in a timely boost to crops already flourishing.
The 7.4mm recorded on Friday was the most since August 5 when 10mm was registered.
Both the August total of 25mm and the 12mm recorded so far in September are well below the average falls for these months.
The September long-term average is 42mm.
Kyabram’s rainfall for 2023 is 304mm, which is below the average of 350mm to this stage of the year.
When the temperature hit 23.3°C last Thursday it was the first time since May 14 that it had surpassed 20°C.
Deniliquin asteroid
Have you heard of the Deniliquin Structure?
Well, there is growing speculation that Deni and district may be sitting on top of the largest asteroid crater ever: the Deniliquin Structure.
Geologist Andrew Glikson has research to indicate its presence, which would be the largest known crater on Earth by a huge margin.
Mr Glikson estimates the crater, detailed in his study published in the journal Tectonophysics, is more than 515km in diameter.
The next and final step of drilling down for the solid proof it exists is being eagerly awaited by a lot of people.
Cod on stamp
That impressively large Swan Hill Murray Cod sculpture has been selected from a field of candidates to feature in a new release of collectable coins and postal stamps.
Tocumwal, Mathoura and Gunbower are also among river towns that give visitors a Murray Cod sculpture greeting but were overlooked in favour of Swan Hill.
The Royal Australian Mint has partnered with Australia Post to launch a limited edition $1 coin collection to celebrate the country’s ‘Big Things’ such as the Big Banana in NSW, Queensland’s Big Pineapple and the Big Lobster in South Australia.
The quirky sculptures dotted in towns around Australia have been printed on the gold coin and are now available in participating post offices.
Limited edition stamps cost $1.20, individual coins are $3 and the full coin set with a folder is $29 — and one in every 10 coin sets purchased will feature a coloured Giant Murray Cod coin.
Rail book launch
Railway buffs and historians will be in their element on Thursday, September 14 with the launch of a book in Deniliquin titled Railway Development of the South West Riverina with the subtitle ‘A story of decades of political and petty interstate rivalry’.
Historian Ian Lea spent many years researching the material for the book, including reading more than 4000 newspaper articles on Trove.
The launch is at the Deniliquin and District Historical Society Museum at 2pm. To assist with catering ring 0418 468 857 or email ian@retiredfarmer.com.au
Engine restored
And while on Deniliquin, there was a recent unveiling of a restored 1936 Dennis Ace fire engine.
The restoration work was undertaken by a local syndicate of retired firefighters and other connections, and was 40 years in the making.
CEO resigns
Moira Shire Council’s chief executive has resigned.
Clare Keenan handed in her resignation last week, effective immediately.
Ms Keenan had held the job for the past two years but had been on indefinite leave since the commission of inquiry into Moira Shire Council released its findings in March, which led to the sacking of all of the shire’s councillors.
Rail link upgrade
An upgrade of the Echuca-Bendigo rail link has just been completed.
It forms part of a $4 billion Regional Rail Revival project being shared by the Victorian and federal governments.
One Traps reader has questioned the cost of the project for what it delivers.
“It is claimed the upgrade will cut travelling time from Echuca to Bendigo by 12 minutes. That doesn’t seem to be a lot of time given how much the upgrade is costing,” the reader said.
National title
The drums are beating loud at Moama.
Moama Anglican Grammar school is boasting a national title, with its six-student senior drumline team being crowned the division B national champion at Melbourne’s Scotch College last month.
Drumline music is a young art form in Australia and rapidly growing in popularity.
Road deaths rise
Northern region road deaths continue to rise.
The latest deaths were recorded on the Goulburn Valley Fwy at Arcadia last Sunday week and at Locksley last week.
Police said the man killed at Acardia was a 44 -year-old from Tullamarine, who was travelling north when he lost control of his vehicle, which slammed into a tree.
An 86-year-old Essendon woman died after the car she was driving rolled on Carmody’s Rd at Locksley.
Try this equation
Take your house number and double it.
Add five, multiply by 50 and then add your age (if you are under 100). Add the number of days in a year (365) and then subtract 615.
The last two figures will be your age, the other will be your house number.
Did you know?
1. Melbourne was briefly called Batmania (and you can still visit Batman Park in Melbourne).
2. In 2005, security guards at Canberra’s Parliament House were banned from calling people ‘mate’. The ban lasted only one day.
3. Each week, more than 70 people overstay their visas in Australia.
4. Qantas once powered an interstate flight with cooking oil.
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