Tuesday, June 4
The defibrillator at the Sir John Gorton Library was stolen, leaving Mayor Ross Stanton disappointed.
Police said the offenders stayed in the area for about an hour on March 19 with the machine out of its box before leaving the carpark on a scooter.
The machine was returned to the library by a member of the public after it was found at the Atkinson Park skate park, damaged beyond repair.
A record crowd joined First Nations leaders in Kerang to mark Reconciliation Week in Gannawarra Shire.
The proceedings were opened with Aboriginal Elder Uncle Lloyd Murray raising the Aboriginal flag outside the council chamber, joined by locals and school students from around the district.
Children waved Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags as they set off on the march to the memorial hall for the traditional smoking ceremony.
Koondrook was nominated in the annual Victoria Tourism Industry Council Awards alongside 17 other tourist destinations.
Koondrook Development Committee member Tom Chick said the town was really punching above its weight when it came to offering visitors great experiences that cater to those looking for either an active or a relaxing alternative to their getaway, and just being selected as finalists was a great achievement.
Tuesday, 11 June
Matthew Hickey, 51, was sentenced to a two years and three months term of imprisonment, with a non-parole period of one year, three months in the Victorian County Court sitting in Bendigo.
The man pleaded guilty to two charges of grooming for sexual conduct a child under 16, one charge of possession of child abuse material, and one charge of sexual activity in the presence of a child.
The court heard that he communicated with his victims through Instagram from 2021, offering alcohol, asking for photos and sending money.
Cohuna resident 90-year-old Alan Fry received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday honours list.
He received the honour for his service to the communities of Cohuna and Leitchville over more than five decades.
He said volunteering is just how things are done in a small town, and that the whole point for him is to feel that he is no more worthy of an honour such as this than a lot of other people in a small town.
Developers of a proposed wind farm near Quambatook submitted a referral to the Department of Transport and Planning under the Environmental Effects Act.
RES is proposing to develop the Cannie Wind Farm about 25km west of Kerang and 8km north of Quambatook.
The wind farm has the potential for up to 174 turbines and a capacity of 1.3GW, with a connection route to the proposed VNI West transmission line to transmit the electricity from the project into the national grid.
Tuesday, June 18
Koondrook’s native logging operation Arbuthnot Sawmills entered the Victorian Government’s Forestry Transition Program, despite community concerns.
The government will spend $500,000 so Koondrook Development Committee can undertake community consultation and identify Koondrook’s opportunities as part of the $1.5 billion transition from native forestry.
KDC chair Tom Chick said it was all about what the future opportunities are for Koondrook and the plan will provide the platform for future funding options.
Kerang Sports & Entertainment Venue prepared to undergo a facelift with the arrival of new manager Charmane Jarvis.
Ms Jarvis couldn’t wait to see where the venue would be in 12 months as she took on the revamp of the historical building in Kerang’s central district.
She said she was excited to combine her experience in accounting and hospitality to attract more clientele while maintaining the comfort of a country pub.
Buloke Council invited Victorian Energy Minister to meet locals affected by the VNI West project for an open and honest dialogue.
The council resolved to take action at its May ordinary meeting, concerned about why the government would want to put the route through some of the most “highly productive agriculture ground in the state”.
Mayor Alan Getley was keen for Lily D’Ambrosio to visit Buloke Shire to discuss the project.
Tuesday, June 25
Koondrook firefighters were seeing red after the Victorian Government overlooked the growing community in its latest roll-out of 25 new pumpers across the state.
Minister for Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes said the new CFA pumpers were rolling off local assembly lines to “better equip firefighters to keep their communities safe”.
The first 10 CFA brigades to receive the vehicles were Wendouree, Sebastopol, Kangaroo Flat, Narre Warren, Rochester, Emerald, Benalla, Bairnsdale and Lorne.
Three riverside mayors and a federal Senator gathered at Koondrook to celebrate the launch of upgraded foreshore infrastructure along the Murray River to support tourism and community access.
Spanning more than 250km, the three local government areas all front the Murray River from Echuca to Robinvale.
Senator Deborah O’Neill said the project was about driving people’s enjoyment of the river, not only those who lived there but also bringing people in from all around the country and overseas.
The duck hunting regulator said the majority of duck hunters acted safely and responsible during this year’s season.
The authority conducted 511 waterway and wetland patrols on private and public land across Victoria, including Gannawarra Shire.
A total of 56 breaches were detected in more than 1550 game licence checks and more than 1200 hunter bags.
Twenty-six hunting-related offences were detected, with the main offences being an invalid game licence, being in possession of toxic shot and failing to leave a wing attached.
