10 YEARS AGO
Monday, August 6, 2012
Schools open BER Buildings
Two district schools officially opened their Building the Education Revolution-funded buildings on Friday.
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Echuca Primary School opened its $2 million ‘Level Four Neighbourhood’ facility, which has been in use for the past 12 months.
A further $200,000 was granted for the construction of a new shaded outdoor area, which is also in use.
The building was officially opened by Education Department liaison principal for Loddon Mallee James Mulraney and a Welcome to Country was performed by Aunty Melva Johnson.
Lockington Consolidated School opened its $2 million BER multi-learning centre later that afternoon.
The centre has four classrooms and an open area, and is used by grades 3, 4, 5 and 6.
The students started using the facilities at the start of the year.
A number of district schools (including these two) experienced frustration in the construction of their new buildings, with many finding out they had to upgrade their fire and water utilities using the money allocated for the new buildings.
Certificates of occupancy had to be issued by the CFA for schools so students could occupy the buildings while the upgrades were carried out.
SAFETY REVAMP FOR INTERSECTIONS
Nearly one million dollars will be spent upgrading intersections in Echuca and Tongala.
TAC has provided $962,000 to revamp the intersection of Haverfield St and Ogilvie Ave in Echuca and Tongala Rd and Echuca-Kyabram Rd, Tongala.
Both have been identified as safety risks.
Member for Rodney Paul Weller’s office said VicRoads data revealed there had been nine crashes resulting in casualties at the Echuca intersection since 2007.
‘‘The intersection in Echuca has a history of motorists picking gaps in traffic when attempting right hand turns from Ogilvie Ave,’’ Mr Weller said.
‘‘A number of improvement works will be undertaken to address this issue, including changing traffic lights to display a fully-controlled right turn, an extension or right-turn lanes, relocation of street lights and skid resistance surfacing,’’ he said.
Mr Weller said the Tongala intersection would be reconfigured and improvements made to street lighting.
‘‘Through these projects we hope to deliver increased road safety through the potential reduction of road accident statistics and also the severity of crashes at both intersections,’’ he said.
The SRIP is a 10-year funding commitment of $650 million by the TAC.
FINALLY, BOMBERS RECORD A VICTORY
It may have taken 17 rounds and 15 consecutive losses, but Leitchville-Gunbower found a way to secure the four points on Saturday, defeating Mt Pleasant by 22 points in the Heathcote and District Football League.
The Bombers found themselves in familiar circumstances when they trailed by five points at three-quarter-time and conceded the first two goals of the final term.
Many would have expected the home side to role over and cop another respectable loss, but an inspired Kade Merlo swung the momentum in the midfield and Tyler Jones’ goal from outside the 50m arc boosted the home side’s hopes.
The boys in red and black kicked 6.5 to 2.2 in the final term to finish the match 12.13 (85) to 8.15 (63).
Coaching his final match for Leitchville-Gunbower, Scott Trewhella said he had 22 contributors who had a crack.
‘‘You could see the players’ intensity lift in the last quarter as we got control of the game,’’ he said.
‘‘In the space of about 10 minutes we put a little bit of space between us and them.
‘‘It was a relief to get the win.’’
■ Leitchville-Gunbower reserves also finished the season on a high note, narrowly defeating Mt Pleasant 9.5 (59) to 8.7 (55).
The Bombers led by a point at half-time and trailed by the same margin at three-quarter-time, but managed 2.1 to 1.2 to finish four-point winners.
FUN FACT: If you were a little hungry, you could enjoy the $11 Bovine & Beverage special at the Echuca Workers Club.
25 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, August 6, 1997
FREIGHT SERVICE SAFE: V/LINE
V/Line Intermodal and Fast Track manager David Vendy is confident Echuca freight services will be retained despite privatisation next year.
The privatisation is part of the breaking up of the transport sector into business units by the State Government.
V/Line freight was corporatised last month with bids to be made for the service next year.
Member for Rodney Noel Maughan said V/Line freight was in the process of reviewing its operators and there had been no indications there were plans to cancel or abolish the parcel service.
FARM BIKE INTEREST LEADS TO AWARDS
Greg Smith has been on motorcycles since he was a kid on the farm in Lockington.
A decade later, at the age of 22, his interest, enthusiasm and skill have paid dividends.
Mr Smith was announced apprentice of the year in the motor mechanics light stream section at Barton Institute of TAFE’s annual awards night, held in Melbourne.
Mr Smith, who finished his four-year apprenticeship at Highside in Cornelia Creek Rd in February, also won best third-year apprentice.
DANIEL SELECTED IN TEAM FOR NATIONAL UNDER-16 TITLES
Daniel Rankin, 16, has been selected in the Victorian Country Under-16 team to play in the 1997 AFL National Schoolboys Championships in Darwin from August 9 to 17.
The final team was announced following a practice match against Victorian Metro at Victoria Park on Sunday.
However, the selection process was a long and arduous one.
Former Fitzroy player Leon Harris will coach the team.
Daniel has stepped up to play in the Moama senior side this season, playing 11 games in the Murray League as well as two games with the Bendigo Pioneers.
It will be Daniel’s third stint in a state representative football team.
He was captain of the NSW Primary Schools team in 1993 and a member of the NSW Under-15 team in 1995.
A Year 10 student at Echuca High School, Daniel flies to Darwin on Friday.
FUN FACT: A slab of Carlton Cold stubbies would set you back $24.99 at the Pastoral Hotel bottle shop in Echuca.
50 YEARS AGO
Monday, August 7, 1972
CROWD JUSTIFIED THE RE-OPENING OF THE PARAMOUNT
A crowd of about 500 people justified the re-opening of the Paramount Theatre on Saturday night by the Echuca Y’s Men’s Club.
“Fantastic” was the word used by a spokesman from the club to describe the response of the public to the re-opening at the theatre.
He said that an enthusiastic crowd of under-18s nearly packed out the downstairs section of the theatre, while upstairs at least half the seats were taken by adults.
The several weeks of work put in by members of the club were rewarded as the night went off without any problems.
TWO NOMINATE FOR COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Only two nomination papers for this year’s City Council elections on August 26 had been taken out by late this morning.
Nominations closed at 4 o’clock this afternoon.
One of the papers has been taken out by Mr Les Garraway, 34, manager of the River-Vu Drive-in Theatre and a member of the Echuca Regional Development Society.
Three city councillors retire this year through effluxion of time.
They are Cr F.C. McCartney and Cr C.P Healey, who are about to end their three-year terms, and Cr D.K Oberin, who was elected in an extraordinary election following the resignation of Cr J Talacko, who was transferred from Echuca.
Cr Oberin is serving the remainder of the three-year term of Cr Talacko, who would have retired this year.
BIG DEFEAT FOR ECHUCA
Aerial supremacy added to much better forward play gave South Bendigo an easy victory over Echuca at the Queen Elizabeth Oval on Saturday.
The 24.14 (158) to 6.15 (51) defeat meant the end of Echuca’s chances of taking part in this year’s finals and the aim of the team in their remaining matches will be to end the season on a good note with a view to making a successful start next year.
Keith Miller again played well in the ruck and took many fine marks, but weight of numbers eventually told against him and he must be given more support if Echuca is to return as a power in the Bendigo League.
Two other younger players who did well in an overworked defence were Richard Oliver and Peter Dargan, but the task of halting the stream of South Bendigo forward moves was beyond them.
FUN FACT: BBQ lamb chops would set you back 34 cents a pound at Stonemans.
Gregor Mactaggart is the editor of the Riverine Herald.