Sunny day: It’s a gorgeous day outside today.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Gday Shepparton,
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Max Stainkamph back with you on this Friday during the slow, relentless march towards Christmas. The cricket doesn’t start until 3pm today, which feels a bit rude for the sake of my productivity, it’s probably for the best.
We’re racing towards a top of 32 degrees today, and we’re not expecting too many clouds. Check back during the day for all the day’s big headlines.
UPDATE, 4.05 pm: Bad news for stranded Western Australians
Western Australia will shut its borders to all other states and territories for Christmas, meaning there will be nowhere in the world you can travel to WA from without isolating for 14 days. Read more on that here.
We’ll also be signing off on the blog for the day. I swear I have work to do and I’m not just putting the feet up and popping the cricket on, I promise.
Fingers crossed unlike me you have plenty of time to put the feet up and watch some cricket, or whatever else tickles your fancy on this fine Friday arvo.
UPDATE, 3.45 pm: Aaaaaand he’s gone (and the KDL fixture comes out)
Marnus has been dismissed for 103, bringing local boy Travis head to crease. Apologies for geeing him up.
Also in sport, the KFL released its draw today, and Liam Nash has done a write-up. As with the GVL, Sunday games are all the rage for season 2022, and there’s been a big change to the finals format.
Also, Marnus Labuschagne has tonned up and was immediately caught behind by Jos Buttler... off a no ball. Cricket once again delivering absolute nonsense.
UPDATE, 3.10 pm: Cricket!
Cricket :)
UPDATE, 2.45 pm: Get your booster doses, people
Thom Monaghan and I ducked up to chat to GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp earlier this arvo to have a chat about booster doses.
Dr Helen Roberts spoke about how important they are and what they mean a few days ago, but Mr Sharp said it more bluntly — not enough people have had their third shots.
Just 17 per cent of those eligible have had their booster, and with Omicron floating around he said the numbers are “too low”.
Roll up your sleeves: GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp is urging people to get their boosters.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
UPDATE, 2.30 pm: Man swims across river to escape police
Oh boy is this a wild story.
A man was tracked by a police helicopter while allegedly driving at 140 km/h before swimming across the Goulburn River and hiding from police in bushland.
(Also, we’re 30 minutes from the cricket starting!)
UPDATE, 1.30 pm: Exploring kitchens across the GV
Any long-time readers of the blog will know I love a good John Lewis yarn. LOVE ‘em.
He’s got another one for you good folk, too — with a new initiative two years in the making aiming to highlight and celebrate the diversity of kitchens in Shepparton.
In a collaboration between Multicultural Arts Victoria, Greater Shepparton City Council and Mooroopna’s POD Studio, eight Shepparton district women from different cultures and generations were chosen to cook together and share recipes and stories to build a network of local knowledge around sustainable food sourcing and healthy eating.
It’s enough to get me hungry just thinking about — check out the full story here.
UPDATE, 12.15 pm: Kialla businesses’ 'try before you buy’ cloth nappies
Mention reusable nappies to parents of now-adult children and they’ll recall a formidable stack of white cloths, terrifyingly large safety pins and hours spent boiling, hanging and folding.
Rosa Ritchie has spoken to a Kialla mum Lauren Ivory who learnt which cloth nappies worked for her, but couldn’t find a business which sold them.
So they made it. Check out the full story, which no crap, is a very good yarn, here.
Cut from the same cloth: Annette and Lauren Ivory run an eco baby product business, with moral support from Lila Davis, 3. Photo: Megan Fisher Photo by Megan Fisher
UPDATE, 11.15 am: Checking in on incredible ATAR scores
There have been some brilliant results coming through in Shepparton after ATAR results were released yesterday.
Georgia Rossiter had a chat to some students from across the GV, including Notre Dame Secondary College’s Sarah Roberts who recorded an ATAR of 99.8.
Women in STEM: Amie Forster, Abby Smythe and Sarah Roberts are all using their top scores to study science at university next year.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
UPDATE, 10.50 am: Family violence increases despite crime rate drop
Reporter Gianni Francis has had a look at the Crime Statistics Agency’s crime report, which came out yesterday.
Greater Shepparton has the fourth-highest offence rates per 100,000 population of Victorian local government areas in 2021, a 2.1 per cent increase from 2020, while the rest of the state has seen an overall reduction in crime.
UPDATE, 10.20 am: School’s out at Katunga South Primary School — forever
School is out in Katunga South — forever.
Officially farewelled last month with a morning tea which was well attended by past students, teachers and school community members, the final three students will say goodbye Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile in Queensland, more mask rules are back after a small spike in cases following the border reopening.
Three generations: Elva, Jackson, 16, Aiden, 15, and Dan Harris all attended Katunga South Primary School. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite
UPDATE, 9.15 am: Coronavirus cases jump in NSW, steady in Victoria
Victoria has announced 1510 new cases of coronavirus this morning, with seven deaths, but in rather concerning news NSW has jumped to 2213 new cases and one death.
NSW broke its own case record yesterday with 1742, and has smashed it again.
More than 127,000 tests were conducted across the state as Omicron continues to spike and folks — the vibes are not good on this new variant. I am not a fan.
We’re not entirely how sure how infectious it as and if it will give people more serious illness, but it’s not good and the message is to get your boosters.
I’ll be having a yarn to Matt Sharp about it later today.
UPDATE: 9.00 am: DAMA in place across GV, O’Keeffe rules out Federal run
The big news this morning is that the Goulburn Valley is we’re finally part of a DAMA — a Designated Area Migration Agreement, which will make it easier for businesses and industries to attract overseas workers to fill labour gaps.
It’s something which has been on the cards since before the pandemic, and was launched by Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum.
Speaking of Nicholls, Greater Shepparton City Council mayor Kim O’Keefe has ruled out a run for the seat at next year’s federal election.
20°C