Record heat
No arguments. Yes, it was hot — bloody hot.
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Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the mercury zoomed over an uncomfortable 40 degrees as much of the state battled destructive bushfires.
On Wednesday, January 7 the temperature reached 43.5°C, Thursday was even hotter at 45.6°C and Friday 44.8°C.
It is believed it is the first time Kyabram has experienced three successive days when the temperature has reached 40°C since weather records have been kept.
Also for the first nine days of January the maximum temperature edged over 30°C every day.
A southerly change arrived on Friday night to end the stifling spell of hot weather, with the temperature ‘plunging’ to a maximum 28.3°C on Saturday.
Up to Monday no rain had fallen in Kyabram since December 22, 2025, when 25mm was registered.
Win for tourism operator
Former Stanhope local Lee Rowland is obviously running a good ship with his Go Adventure Nagambie tourism business.
When the awards for the Victorian Tourism Awards 2025 were handed out late last year the Nagambie tour operator was the recipient of its third successive gold medal and induction into the Hall Fame for Adventure Tourism and Tourist Retail and Hire and Services categories.
It is the seventh time in the past three years Go Adventure Nagambie has figured prominently in the awards.
The business was awarded gold medals twice in the 2023 awards and again in 2024.
Business owner and manager Lee Rowland said winning three awards in the one year was “unheard of” and seven awards over three years was “amazing”.
Lee, who runs the business with his wife, former Rushworth girl Kimberley (Lloyd), and family intends to use the publicity the business has received for its recognition in the awards for momentum to ignite another big year for his business.
And he is now looking forward to the booming business being honoured when representing Victoria in the Australian Tourism Awards in March.
Go Adventure Nagambie specialises in a variety of non-motorised watercraft, including stand up paddle boards, Hobie boards, pedal boats, kayaks and canoes.
Hotel reopens
The iconic Kyabram Blue Brick Hotel has exceeded expectations since its reopening in early December.
So says Anthony Depasquale, who with his businessman orchardist father, Tony, decided to reopen the doors of the popular watering hole in central Kyabram.
Anthony said that while meals weren’t on the menu at the pub quite yet they would be in time.
‘‘We are still working through a few things but the intention is to reintroduce meals at some time in the near future,’’ Anthony said.
Tony said that young people in Kyabram and district now didn’t have to travel out of town for a night out and if this meant saving even one life on the roads it would justify the reopening of the pub.
Anthony won’t be seen as much around the pub from this week, as he has started footy training with VFL club Werribee, which will involve up to three training sessions a week.
‘‘But we will have good people running the pub and I’ll get back as often as I can,’’ said Anthony, who was a member of Kyabram’s GVL premiership side last year.
The Blue Brick opens its door every day of the week from noon to late and from 3pm to late on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
John remembered
Former Kyabramite John Higgins passed away recently in Mackay, Queensland.
John and his family lived in Kyabram in the 1950s and 1960s. Colin, John, Ken and Ross were John’s brothers.
John had been battling illness for some time.
Over-50s development
Moama is to have nearly 200 new homes built by over-50s community provider Lincoln Price.
The development will be on a large holding of land next to the Rich River Golf Club.
Work on the $100 million project is expected to start mid year.
Cast a line
Anglers are preparing for the 2026 Edward Kolety Fishing Challenge to be held at Deniliquin’s Memorial Park from February 6 to 8.
Prizes in different categories worth thousands of dollars are up for grabs again both on and off the water, with a new $2000 fishing package courtesy of Dahlsens Mitre 10 a new lure for junior anglers.
Did you know?
The first novel ever written on a typewriter was The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: spades — King David; hearts — Charlemagne; clubs — Alexander the Great; and diamonds — Julius Caesar.
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of 11 is $10,120.
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