It’s been another busy, but quick, year in Benalla. Is it already nearly Christmas again?
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This is the first half of the Ensign’s Year in Review. We will miss an edition on December 31, but pick up a copy of our first edition of the 2026 on January 7, for the second half of our 2025 Year in Review.
January
January 8
Page one of our first edition of 2025 celebrated Schneider Electric’s mascot, the Schniedernator, which was named the company’s best mascot worldwide.
Benalla’s Australian Christian College announced it was expanding.
Benalla’s Lawn Tennis Club held its 99th annual tournament.
January 15
Benalla’s Riley Mayes found, and helped rescue, a lost motorcyclist when he took a drive to Mt Separation.
More than 50 descendants of Benalla’s Mick and Mary Dwyer come to the Rose City for a special reunion.
Benalla’s Kate Rowe was part of the Redback Boots and Arrowfield Stud team that took out the Senior Teams section at the Magic Millions Showjumping event on the Gold Coast.
January 22
After assisting the likes of AFL legend Tom Rockliff, WAFL star Becky Webster and X-Games Gold medallist Rob Adelberg get a start in their chosen sports, the Benalla Young Sportsperson’s Trust officially wound up operations.
Benalla veteran, and author, Doug Williams, had an opportunity to inspect a lovingly restored de Havilland 8811 DH-82 Tiger Moth, a plane he had flown many times during his service.
January 28
Benalla’s most active community members were celebrated at the Rose City’s Australia Day event.
Harry and Faye Dennis celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary.
Ten-year-old Anouk van Wyk submitted an article about the recent successes of the Benalla Gymnastic Club at a three-day competition.
February
February 5
It was a great day out for a group of Yooralla clients, who had an opportunity to take a tour of McPherson Media’s printing press in Wodonga.
A man was hospitalised after a stabbing on Jensen Ct, Benalla.
The Benalla Bushrangers picked up their first win of the season against Ovens Valley United.
February 12
Benalla Rural City Council discussed the need to renovate the town’s iconic ceramic mural.
The Ensign spoke to Rhonda Boer, sponsorship co-ordinator and treasurer of the Tumaini Miles of Smiles Centre in Western Kenya. The school has been supported for many years by locals from Benalla.
A handful of young Benalla Bushrangers had the opportunity to take to the hallowed turf of the MCG during the Women’s Ashes test.
February 19
Inland Rail released visualisations of the new Benalla Railway Station, which was, and still is, in the process of being upgraded to facilitate double stacked freight trains.
Crowds flocked to the first Cars and Coffee Benalla.
Fun was had by all as Benalla Racing Club held its annual Farmers’ Day Out.
February 26
The Ensign spoke with 16-year-old Ryan Driscoll about his experiences as a young glider pilot, flying out of Benalla.
There were exciting activities hosted by a plethora of Benalla groups, clubs and businesses as part of the first annual Creating Community Connections Expo.
The boys’ under-18 Benalla Breakers team clinched its division two basketball title.
March
March 5
Much of the Benalla community became part-time detectives as they searched the lakeside are for decorated stones created and placed by local couple Lindy and Leigh Sutherland.
The Benalla campus of the Wangaratta Specialist School was officially opened.
Benalla’s Matthew Manley was celebrated for winning a Victoria WorkSafe Award.
March 19
Waminda House’s Link-Up group celebrated a successful first 12 months with an exhibition of art at Benalla’s Visitor Information Centre.
Benalla’s Donohue Meats found documentation confirming it was older than a butcher’s in Sydney, that claims to be Australia’s oldest.
The Benalla Bushrangers’ Under-14 Red team triumphed over its Blue counterpart in an all-Benalla cricket grand final.
March 26
Benalla Health celebrated long-serving midwife Selina Courtney’s 80th birthday.
The Benalla Street Art Festival Committee announced the official line-up for the second installation of its upcoming event.
Benalla’s Harry Morrison helped Hawthorn to three victories in a row at the start of the AFL season.
April
April 2
The Ensign had a wrap full of details of the upcoming Benalla Street Art Festival.
Benalla’s Les Saunders was given a surprise party by friends at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre to celebrate his 95th birthday.
The Benalla Bushrangers B-grade cricket team celebrated back-to-back premierships.
April 9
An architect was appointed to design the Clarke St Kindergarten on the site of the old Benalla P-12 Clarke St Campus.
The ‘Team Vinny’ fundraiser, honouring the memory of Vinny Symes, who sadly passed away at just three weeks old, raised more than $6350 for the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Plans for the redevelopment of the Benalla Art Gallery were released.
April 16
The Benalla Fire Brigade prepared for the upcoming Good Friday Appeal.
The Ensign spoke with the artists transforming Benalla as part of the Street Art Festival.
The new Benalla Police Station was opened by state Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes.
New commemorative seating was unveiled at the Benalla Cenotaph.
April 23
Benalla’s Good Friday Appeal brought in an impressive $53,790.
Mollyullah Easter Sports held its 122nd event.
The Benalla Hockey Club held its final Hook In2 Hockey event of the season, with more than 50 youngsters attending.
April 30
Benalla marked Anzac Day with two touching services and the town’s annual Anzac Day march.
Benalla’s Lucas Argus, 15, gained his pilot’s licence.
The Benalla Heritage Network held a series of events to celebrate the Australian National Heritage Festival.
The Benalla Historical Society held the official opening of the newly revitalised Costume and Kelly Museum.
Past and present Benalla Saints players and club members celebrated the opening of the new Past Players Stand at the Benalla Showgrounds Oval. The stand was named in honour of Mick Stilo, president of the players’ association.
May
May 7
The headline on page one of the Ensign was ‘Still Indi-pendent’ after it was confirmed that the incumbent member for Indi, Helen Haines, had retained her seat in the federal election.
A large cannabis crop was seized from a property on Sydney Rd.
The Benalla Saints picked up their first win of the season over Tatura.
May 14
The Lake Benalla foreshore was a hive of activity as the Centre’s Ability Me class enjoyed fun and games, and a barbecue.
Waminda House and Bendigo Bank launched their annual blanket drive.
The Baddaginnie Hall Committee held its first annual Sip, Savour and Socialise event.
Benalla’s Koby Cromie was named the Bowls Victoria Under-18 male bowler of the year.
May 21
Benalla celebrated all its selfless volunteers as part of National Volunteer Week.
Benalla’s Shannon Goss spoke to the Ensign about her upcoming Biggest Morning Tea Cancer Council fundraiser.
Benalla’s emergency services volunteers were told that the Victorian Government’s Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy had been passed into law. This was despite months of protests.
Violet Town’s netballers beat Lancaster 44 to 27.
May 28
Shannon Goss celebrated raising more than $3000 at her biggest morning tea.
A group of students from FCJ College’s Vocational Major Program had a big impact on St Joseph’s Primary’s Year 5 and 6 students, guiding them through a series of AFL lessons.
Benalla young gun Xavier Wapling was among the 22 Goulburn Valley League representatives that played against the Ovens and Murray league team.
June
June 4
The Benalla community was in shock after Rocky the Snake, an art installation created using painted stones, was stolen.
Benalla P-12 College students raised more than $5900 for the Leukaemia Foundation as part of the World’s Greatest Shave.
The A-grade Benalla Saints netballers picked up their first win in almost two years, against Mansfield.
June 11
Benalla CFA members prepared to take part in the annual Melbourne firefighters' stair climb.
Food donations, destined for Benalla’s homeless, were destroyed by vandals.
The Goomalibee and Upotipotpon Fire Brigade celebrated Peter Bailey, who has been a member for 40 years.
Benalla Hockey Club’s Amber Armstrong and Lee Manning represented the Goulburn Valley Hockey Association at the Hockey Victoria Senior Country Championships.
June 18
Benalla’s Spot 4 Ice Cream was celebrated for offering free ice-cream to students who brought home a school award.
Cooinda Aged Care’s new wing, Rossmore House, was officially opened.
Benalla’s Gregory Barras was named on the King’s Birthday honours list for distinguished service to the Australian Police Force.
June 25
The Benalla Lions welcomed returning president Peter Brown.
The Swanpool Environmental Film Festival was hailed a success.
Benalla’s Rob Adelberg flipped his way to yet another X-Games gold medal.