Another stunning moment captured
This is another award-winning snap from Kyabram hobby photographer Estelle Close, who recently finished in the top 10 in the black-and-white section of a national photo competition.
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This photo of ‘Martin’ was taken at the 2023 Light Horse service commemorating the Battle of Beersheba, held at the Kyabram Cemetery on October 31 last year
The photo is titled At the going down of the sun, we will remember them.
Martin is the Light Horse man, mounted, and this photo was taken as the bugle was sounding the last post.
This image also took first place and a ribbon for best exhibit at the recent Kyabram Show.
At the 2023 service, Martin could not come to the parade with the 8th Indi Light Horse troop, so as a thank you for what they do, Estelle presented the photo to the troop leader to pass on to Martin.
Martin called Estelle a few days later, saying how chuffed he was to receive the photo, and how great he thought it was.
‘‘He was really happy to receive the photo and it had meant a lot to him, looking grand in his uniform,’’ Estelle said.
He told Estelle he only learnt how to ride a horse a few years ago, but he really did serve in the armed forces. He now lives in Melbourne and has participated in many Sydney to Hobart yacht races, as a keen and brave sailor.
Picture the potholes
Victorian Nationals and Liberals are on the warpath over road potholes, which are plaguing the state.
They are running a state-wide photo competition with the best (or worst) potholes to feature in a Potholes for All Seasons calendar that will be presented to Premier Jacinta Allan and Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne.
If you’ve got a candidate — and unfortunately there are plenty out there — take a snapshot and forward it to potholepics.com
Traps suspects the judges are going to have a mountain of photos to pick the winners from!
Vale Bill
Stanhope lost another stalwart before Christmas with the passing of Bill McNamara at the age of 80.
A Stanhope local through and through, Bill was active in the town’s sporting circles during his life, with careers with the local football and tennis clubs.
His death followed the passing of another town stalwart, Cyril Evans, and the Stanhope-raised Dennis Gavin.
Go slow on lake
Be careful if you are boating in Greens Lake at Corop.
A new speed limit came into force on New Year’s Day.
A five-knot speed limit has been introduced for the entire lake as the storage level falls below 47 per cent or 100 in Australian Height Datum.
The new speed rule is designed for safety reasons.
Thousands of fingerlings
Those who frequent the Moulamein-Deniliquin area to have a fish will be pleased to hear this news.
Some 30,000 golden perch (yellybelly) fingerlings have been released in the Edward River, with proceeds to purchase the fingerlings coming from profits made from the Edward Kolety Fishing Challenge.
Downstream from Deni, the boys of the Moulamein Men’s Shed have just released 10,000 Murray cod and 4126 yellowbelly fingerlings into streams in that area.
Battery drives organised by the local Men’s Shed members raised the finance to buy the fingerlings.
Hotel fined
Shepparton’s Goulburn Valley Hotel has been hit with a $100,000 fine for providing false information to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission.
In November 2022 the hotel applied for a licence to operate 40 poker machines but did not disclose that the licence nominee had been found guilty on two counts of negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime without conviction.
‘Drought’ broken
Until Monday’s rain, Kyabram had received none for a month.
The last recording was 0.4mm on December 8, a day after 14mm was registered and the last substantial fall since November 25 when 28.2mm fell.
Top temperatures this month have been in the high 30s, peaking at 38°C last Saturday and 39°C on Sunday.
Christmas thefts
From the Not Very Good Christmas presents folio.
Hayden McLean and his two young sons went shopping a couple of days before Christmas and when they returned to their Kilpatrick Ave home in Shepparton discovered the home had been ransacked and had suffered a big clean out, mainly of items in his sons’ rooms.
Thieves also hit the Seymour Youth and Fitness Centre prior prior to Christmas and management was overwhelmed with the response in donations after it was reported on Facebook.
And at Jerilderie, thieves had a smashing good time, with every piece of single glass in one home smashed, even the oven doors and shower screens, by vandals.
Supermarket gets facelift
Cobram’s Woolworths store has undergone a multimillion-dollar facelift, with customers now able to choose between full-service and self-checkout lanes.
And the store boasts a stable workforce, with eight workers among the 170-strong staff clocking up a combined 266 years working at the business.
Siren sounds for priest
ONE FM’s football-loving priest Fr Jackson Saunders won’t be around next year.
Fr Saunders is heading home to Bendigo to take on a new role in the Catholic Church but hopes to get back to Shepparton one day after spending the past two years in the city.
Fr Saunders loves his sport, particularly footy, and has been a valuable member of the ONE FM football commentary team during his time in Shepparton.
Sali keeps regional role
The City of Greater Shepparton’s charismatic mayor, Shane Sali, has been re-elected as chair of Regional Cities Victoria.
Greater Bendigo Mayor Andrea Metcalf will be his deputy.
On his election, Cr Sali said it was important now more than ever to make sure regional voices were heard.
Square dinkum
G’day.
As a newcomer to the appreciation of wine, I asked the members of the wine appreciation society, ‘‘How much should I spend on a really good bottle of wine? Half an hour? Twenty minutes?’’
They gave me some very strange looks.
Hooroo!
Sports reporter