Friday January 5
Regional Housing Victoria released the next steps towards solutions for the region’s housing crisis, following the success of the Swan Hill Housing Summit in November 2023.
The report offered recommendations and localised solutions to support future housing and accommodation needs.
“Addressing the housing shortage would unlock the potential for businesses to grow and diversify, for service industries such as education and health to attract a workforce committed to the area and for the long term, sustainable economic prosperity for the region as a major support hub,” the report said.
Crowds lined the bank of the Murray River as Two-thousand rubber ducks floated from the Ten Steps to the Swan Hill Bridge for the annual SES Swan Hill unit’s duck race.
SES Swan Hill unit controller Damian Howison said while they don’t always sell all the tickets, they sold out with a couple of hours to spare, in a great show of community support.
“Everyone who comes up to buy a ticket is always really complimentary of us, so we feel that support, and it is a good chance for us to interact with the public,” he told The Guardian.
Member for Mallee Anne Webster called on the Victorian Government to extend the deadline for people to have their say on the proposed Goschen project after concerns were raised by local farmers.
“I have asked the minister to consider the timing around harvest and the complications that have arisen with the rain in late November – not to mention the Christmas break,” she said.
Lalbert farmer Craige Kennedy previously told The Guardian he felt the timing of the open period was “poor” and didn’t give farmers adequate time to respond appropriately.
Tuesday January 9
The Sea Lake community rallied to support the family of teenage crash victim Billy McClelland, a young man known for his “cheeky grin” and “wild boy ways”.
With an outpouring of emotion and generosity as tributes flowed for the 16-year-old, who died in a motorcycle crash on December 29, a GoFundMe page has raised more than $28,000 in just one week.
The fundraiser’s organiser and family friend, Brianna Ellis, told The Guardian the Sea Lake community had been “absolutely devastated” by the tragedy.
DROUGHT should be considered a constant feature of farming in north-west Victoria, according to a Mallee consultation report.
The Mallee Regional Innovation Centre launched the report, which identified the Mallee community’s experiences of drought and their insights on enhancing drought resilience.
The Regional Drought Consultation Summary Report captures findings from consultations completed over four months with a range of stakeholders including farmers, service providers, councils, banks, statutory organisations, the tourism and environmental sectors, and government departments.
It was the first in a series of reports about the ongoing drought consultations being undertaken by the centre.
Friday January 12
A SWAN Hill labour-hire company and a Woorinen South fruit grower faced WorkSafe charges over the death of a 70-year-old worker in 2022.
The man suffered fatal head injuries when he fell from a trailer being Imbued between farms on January 31.The 70 year old Afghan man fell from the trailer on North South Road Woorinen, near the intersection of Reserve Road.
The man was taken to hospital, but later died from his injuries.
At the time of the incident, a WorkSafe spokesperson said it was believed the tractor was turning when the man fell from the trailer.
SWAN Hill Council resolved to enforce the permanent closure of the Swan Hill Drag Strip, effective immediately, due to ongoing track surface safety concerns.
While the closure was originally put in place at the October meeting, Swan Hill Mayor Stuart King said the council had been considering different options over that time before reaching its final decision.
“There was a whole lot of advice over a long period of time that has been accumulated in relation to this,” Cr King told The Guardian.
“We understand it is a sensitive matter, it’s a disappointing outcome for the club and the people who have invested time and money into their passion of motorsport, and drag racing in particular.
Tuesday January 16
LALBERT farmers are continuing their fight to stop the proposed Goschen rare-earth and mineral sands project, worried about what the mining project will mean for the future of their farms.
The group of farmers, called Mine Free Mallee Farms, hosted a meeting at Lalbert Recreation Reserve for local landholders and community members to have their concerns heard by Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh.
“We’re a small community, and we are on our knees begging,” one community member said at the meeting.
“We don’t know where to turn. We are on our own, and we stand to lose the viability of our farms.”
Lalbert farmer Craige Kennedy told the The Guardian that part of the meeting was a submissions workshop, guiding people through the process and how to lodge a quick submission.
WATERWAYS in north-west Victoria received an influx of fish stocks as the Victorian Fisheries Authority released two native species, a part of their native fish restocking program.
The iconic Murray cod and golden perch, commonly referred to as yellow belly, were let loose.
Across seven lakes, creeks and rivers, more than 250,000 Murray cod were released, including 100,000 fingerlings into Kangaroo Lake, while Lake Charm received 20,000 and Lake Boga 16,000.
Gunbower Creek received 40,000. Pyramid Creek 20,000, and the Loddon River and Little Murray each received 30,000.
Bred at the Snobs Creek Hatchery in north-east Victoria near Eildon in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, the tiny fish were transported by truck to their destinations.
The facility has been operating for more than 75 years, providing many different species of fish to restock private and public waterways.
Friday January 19
MURRAY River Council has conceded upcoming decisions about pulling services in Moulamein won’t be popular as it tries to rein in spending.
It comes as the council said no decision had been made on closing the Moulamein Business Centre “completely”, amid reports the centre’s doors would close permanently.
The Morago Street site provides Service NSW and council services.
“Councillors and staff at Murray River Council have been working hard behind the scenes to investigate potential service-level changes across the region that will assist in the long-term financial sustainability of council,” a spokesperson told The Guardian.
GOLDEN Rivers Theatre Group has received a Murray River Council arts and culture award for an “outstanding contribution to the local arts space”.
The group has decades of performing in the region, beginning in 1990 when volunteers came together for a concert-hall musical to raise funds for the local hospital.
For many years the amateur group performed at many different venues around the Murray Valley, but settled down at Sandy Faulkner Pavilion in Barham in 2007.
Group president Veronica Mar tens said the group was excited about the award especially after being unable to perform for over a year during covid lockdowns which resulted in members leading.
Tuesday January 23
MEMBER for Mallee Anne Webster took aim at Swan Hill Council for abandoning holding its traditional Australia Day citizenship ceremony on January 26.
Swan Hill councillors unanimously voted in September to support a recommendation to move its Swan Hill and Robinvale ceremonies one day earlier to January 25.
Councillors were told that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members could not participate in a ceremony on January 26 due to its significance as a day of mourning.
But in a column in Sunraysia Daily on Saturday, Dr Webster said the decision by many local councils to move the day would “take the shine off becoming a citizen on our national day”.
“That moment is something they have worked hard for, and to do so on that day makes it all the more special,” she said.
THE Sporting Shooters Association of Australia has criticised animal rights and welfare organisations for using “crude” data that “falsely infers that banning duck hunting would be a political winner for the government”.
A media release from RSPCA Victoria included the new data, in partnership with Animals Australia and Wildlife Victoria, showing the number of duck hunters in marginal Victorian electorates compared to people who actively support the three animal organisations, which are united in calling for a ban.
SSAA Victoria said each animal rights organisation used a different criterion for what constitutes a “supporter”, with some as “spurious as people who have clicked on one of their campaign links over the past five years”.
“From a data perspective, it’s fundamentally flawed,” SSAA Victoria said in a statement.
“From a political perspective, it’s total nonsense.”
SSAA Victoria is the state’s largest organisation representing the interests of recreational shooters and hunters.
Friday January 26
A SWAN Hill man of “compassion and empathy” has been handed Swan Hill Council’s Australia Day Citizen of the Year award.
Ross Cleeland was recognised for a lifetime dedicated to community service at the Australia Day eve award ceremony at Swan Hill Town Hall.
Shannon Polglase was announced Young Citizen of the Year and Mallee Cruisers the Community Event of the Year.
Mayor Stuart King said the council had received several worthy award nominations and 2024’s recipients “stood out”.
A TOURISM boost of up to $1.5 million is expected for the Swan Hill region by Tennis Victoria Country Week in 2025.
Swan Hill Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club will serve up the action of the world’s largest grass court tournament from February 9 to 14.
A favourite location of Country Week participants, Swan Hill is the only venue where the tournament can host all 100 grass courts on a single site.
Murray Downs Golf & Country Club chief executive and Murray Regional Tourism deputy chair Greg Roberts said the economic benefits would be felt town-wide.
Tuesday January 30
AS Australians come to terms with their own meaning of Australia Day, Swan Hill residents took the time to celebrate and learn about each other’s cultures.
On Friday evening, locals of all ages, creeds, religions and colours joined forces to celebrate the wide range of people and cultures that make up the Swan Hill community.
There was a strong focus on the region’s First Nations people, with guests invited to place a phrase or symbol on a possum skin rug and didgeridoo.
The designs were burned into the items, which are set to become significant artefacts for the council, giving a physical embodiment to the importance of First Nations culture.
The Deadly Dancers dance group opened the night with three dances, before inviting everyone to get involved and perform the Platypus Dance to close the night.
Swan Hill Rural City Council Aboriginal community development officer Jacinta Chaplin said the night felt “empowering”
SWAN Hill Mayor Stuart King welcomed a large crowd to the Swan Hill Town Hall January 25 in a dual ceremony to honour recipients of the council’s Australia Day awards and the district’s newest citizens with a citizenship ceremony.
Well-known local Imparja Pettit led Cr King and Aunty Debra Chaplin into the auditorium playing his didgeridoo, where a crowd of more than 300 people was assembled.
Starting with the student achievement awards for deserving students from various schools around the council area, Cr King and Aunty Debra congratulated each student for their accomplishments.
Swan Hill Council’s Citizen of the Year award recipient, Ross Cleeland, was surprised and humbled when his name was announced, as with all recipients, he was unaware that he was receiving the award. Cr King also welcomed 17 new citizens at the ceremony
