Tuesday, November 5
A Kerang man was charged with arson after a unit was destroyed in a blaze.
15 firefighters managed to stop the fire spreading to an adjacent unit.
Swan Hill police Acting Inspector Brian Hansen said a 34-year-old man was charged by the Swan Hill crime investigation unit with arson and was bailed to attend court at a later date.
The Victorian Government confirmed the new Cohuna Early Learning and Childcare Centre will be operational by early 2027, providing some relief in the so-called “childcare desert”.
The new facility will feature three-year-old kinder rooms, a new Pre-Prep program, long daycare and a maternal and child health consulting rooms.
It is one of six other childcare centres to be operating by 2027 announced by Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn.
Cohuna has 42 families in the area on the waitlist for family daycare and 86 children on the waitlist for long daycare.
Tuesday, November 12
School students across the region observed a minute’s silence at 11am for Remembrance Day.
They were joined by local residents, service groups and businesses.
Twenty-nine Kerang Grade 6 primary school students earned praise for leadership skills after graduating from the Rotary Junior Community Awards program.
The town’s four primary schools were involved in the program run by Rotary Club of Kerang.
The awards program co-ordinator Colleen Scriven said the students showed themselves to be true leaders by completing many tasks through diary entries, reports and posters.
Work to repair Gannawarra Council-managed sealed roads damaged during the 2022 floods began, starting along Benjeroop-Tresco Road.
Council said they hoped the repairs would bring some relief to residents across the municipality.
The repairs should continue to mid-January 2025, occurring along Adamthwaite, Apex Park, Lalbert-Kerang, Murrabit West, Quambatook South and Suttie roads.
Tuesday, November 19
CFA Cohuna honoured the thirty-year commitment of Denise Waterson to the brigade with a life membership during their annual awards night.
Throughout the years, Mrs Waterson has kept books, organised and managed fundraisers, supported the running teams and raised three boys to join the state’s firefighting and rescue efforts.
First Lietenant Shannon Treacy called her dedication and commitment selfless, and the award a sign of the brigade’s appreciation of her efforts.
The Quambatook Community Development Association put forward an asset naming proposal to Gannawarra Council for the unnamed laneway on the eastern side of River Street to be formally named Norma Way to Norma Bennett.
The development association said she was a founding member and linchpin of many organisations, and an integral part of the town.
Kerang golf star Bree Ogilvy launched the Golf Australia Women in Golf Charter at the NSW Open at Murray Downs.
She said that all golfers are golfers, regardless of age, gender and occupation and she was lucky that was the attitude at the local golf clubs.
She was joined by up and coming junior girls golfers and Murray Downs womens champion Olive Spitty.
Tuesday, November 26
Gannawarra Shire’s new mayor Garner Smith committed to leading a united team in its new term.
Cr Smith won the mayoral election vote 4-3 over former mayor Ross Stanton at a special meeting on November 11.
He said he hoped the council could work collectively together and thanked his fellow councillors and community for the faith they placed in him.
More than 250 paddlers from across the country finished a five-day journey down the Murray River with a 95km leg from Gunbower to Koondrook.
Paddlers in the Massive Murray Paddle raised $75,042 for their chosen organisations, including hospitals, community groups, CFA and medical research.
Race organisers Shannon and Kate O’Brien specifically wanted to incorporate the Gunbower Forest because of its unique beauty for paddlers.
