50 years ago August 1976
A 20-year career in ambulance work has culminated in a senior appointment for an Echuca man.
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Mr Kevin Devereaux, who started with the Northern District Ambulance Service in 1956 as a driver, bearer, collector, is now the superintendent of the service.
He was appointed to the key position following the resignation of Mr Wal Thomas, who has been appointed superintendent of the Goulburn Valley Ambulance Service.
Mr Devereaux, who did all his training through the Echuca-based service, took over the position last Monday.
Recalling his early days with the service, Mr Devereaux said he was the fourth permanent officer employed by the service.
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Assistance of a major tractor manufacturer through its local agent has added a new dimension to Echuca Technical School's farming apprenticeship course.
Working through their local agents, C. P. Healey and Sons, the Ford Motor Company's Tractor and Equipment Division have given tractor to the school on special leasing agreement.
The tractor, a 46 hp diesel 3600 model, was officially handed over to the school on Wednesday.
Head of the school's agriculture department, Mr Ian Wright, said the tractor would add greatly to the efficiency and effectiveness of the school's agricultural activities.
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Echuca's water supply will be fluoridated.
Moves to stall the introduction of the chemical to Echuca's water supply failed at Monday night's meeting of Echuca Waterworks Trust.
Commissioners were equally divided on the question of fluoride and it was the casting vote of Trust chairman, Com. J. G. Quinn, that split the decision.
Monday night's decision ends a controversy which has raged over the past few weeks as to whether or not fluoride should be introduced to Echuca's water
At a June meeting of the Trust, Com. F. M. Moore gave notice that he would move at Monday nights meeting to have a resolution agreed to by the Trust on March 9 this year rescinded.
25 years ago August 2001
Moves are under way to appoint an attendance worker to help Echuca district families children whose are having trouble going to school regularly.
The Echuca Kirby Welfare Cluster, representing seven public schools in Echuca, hopes to obtain Federal Govemment funding from the Strengthening Families project to appoint a home-school liaison worker (HSLW) for five years.
The position, for 25 hours a week, would school involve helping children get to school and and keep going.
A focus would be on prevention, by addressing problems at an early stage when the children are in grade prep or one, or even before they start school.
The plan results from a report by attendance support worker, Brian Walker, who w as appointed by the Kirby Cluster in response to chronic absenteeism in Echuca primary and secondary schools.
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More than 200 people marched across the Echuca-Moama bridge yesterday afternoon to protest against a centrally located second river crossing.
The protesters, many carrying banners, represented a wide age range and people of different walks of life.
They gathered at Moama's Kerrabee Soundshell before heading over the bridge to Echuca for more speeches of encouragement.
Rally organisers, Liz Baxter and Catherine Franklin, urged protesters to continue the fight against the central option, which is preferred by Victorian and New South Wales road authorities, and support the western option.
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A 125-year-old Carlton Football Club trophy owned by an Echuca woman is up for sale.
The trophy is an 1876 Carlton Football Club challenge cup for the longest drop kick. It shows a footballer doing a drop kick, has two rosettes and an inscription.
Deirdre Fordham has owned the trophy since 1997 when it was left to her in a will by Ingel Hall, a man she used to be a carer for.
It was won by W Hall for a 68 yard (62 metre) kick. Mrs Fordham said she thinks W Hall (possibly William) was Ingel's uncle.
Mrs Fordham befriended Ingel in Melbourne and cared for him until he died in 1997. Having no other family, he left her everything in his will including the cup.
10 years ago August 2016
Victorian SES’s new three-year plan will help build disaster resilience in the district, Echuca unit controller Ian Marriott says.
The strategy is the first of its kind for any Australian SES and will guide Victorian members on delivering community driven programs, including outreach with schools, businesses, sporting clubs, neighbourhood houses and local government.
The strategy also aims to prepare local residents for when a disaster hits, allowing them to take ownership of the community’s priorities and actions.
‘‘If people are prepared before the event, the potential for damage is reduced and people are able to look after themselves and their neighbours until emergency services can attend,’’ Mr Marriott said.
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Echuca motorbike rider Craig Rosendale received a gold medal for completing the entire course in his first Harrow 100 on the weekend.
Riding in ‘Team Smithy’s Boys’, his time of just under four hours included assisting other riders to drag their bikes up slippery and impassable hills and dig out bogged bikes.
The Harrow 100 is the largest vintage motorcycle enduro event in the Southern Hemisphere held near the town that bears its name, about 90km south-west of Horsham.
The Harrow 100 is a difficult off-road 100km course that includes creek and log crossings, deep sand, steep hills, man-made obstacles and as expected plenty of deep, deep mud.
The organisers declared this year was the wettest event ever, and the traditional start line had to be changed as there was now a small river in the way.
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A Thyra Rd piggery which will hold up to 25,000 pigs was given the green light at a recent Murray River Council meeting.
But not without 120 conditions attached, including those relating to odour management, compulsory audits, strict operating hours and soil analysis.
The large-scale Pigco operation will take over a 1203ha block on the corner of Berryman and Thyra Rd — 20km from the centre of Mathoura and 34km from Moama.
It will hold 26 sheds (split into two blocks of 13), an automatic feeding system, six silos, a wet weather pond and composting area.
It will be serviced by an effluent management system including a covered anaerobic pond.
Only two objections were submitted to council.