Moulamein Notes
THERE was a very well attended meeting held in Moulamein this week to try and get some more information on this giant powerline that is going to keep the lights on in our great country.
The towers are about 70 metres tall and are 450m to 500m apart.
About 100 district members turned up to vent their frustrations about lack of communication from this mob called TransGrid.
As far as I can work out, this preferred route did not even exist until June 2 this year. Now they want to close down consultations by August 4.
There was a unanimous vote that the consultation time needed to be extended so the district could show why we are no less worthy to keep our farms as they are.
Those who decided the line should go through a rice-growing district may have thought it could go through a rice field and have a no-go zone for planes 60m on each side of this line without ruining livelihoods.
Don’t worry, there are some that would love this line to go through their back paddocks or station country. I think it is about $200,000 per kilometre as well as half the commercial value of the 70m easement or something like that.
Our district members were very well behaved and there was no tar and feathers to be seen.
These poor buggers had to do the same meeting in Deniliquin the next day.
Just remember. These people are the messengers, not the designers.
Away at Hay
WE cross the Hay plains this week to do battle with the team that wants our spot in the four.
This will be the big test for our senior footy side.
The colts team need to keep winning to stay in the four.
At least it is not school holidays. No one wants to play Hay in the colts on a school holiday weekend. All of the kids from the back country are back home.
Our A Grade netballers lost their second spot this week so they will be trying their best to get back on the winners’ list.
September Classic Bowls Tournament
I KNOW this is a weird name for a bowls tournament that is held in the last week of August, but that is the way it is out here in the sticks.
This Moulamein Classic will be held on August 26 and 27.
It will be a two-bowl triples, five games by 14 ends.
You will be well fed by our club chief Andrew on both days.
There will be big prizemoney I am assured and you need to get in touch with Kerryn on 0407 800 111 for more details.
Increased allocation
THERE was a big jump in the NSW Murray allocation this week with it going from 55 per cent to 110 per cent in one go.
The Victorian Murray jumped from 80 per cent to 88 per cent. Unfortunately, us poor cousins on the Murrumbidgee remain on 37 per cent of what we own.
Our Murrumbidgee System is a bit different as to how they work it out.
My farm was going under water last year and we still only had about 56 per cent of the water that we owned. Which is a bit coincidental as we lost about 56 per cent of our farm to floods.
But my glass is always half full. Just like our farm last year.
Now we know where the water can get to and where it comes from to flood different paddocks.
I am now the old fella that has seen it. I will probably only remember it for a few more years but my young fella will be the old fella in 50 years’ time when the next big flood comes.
Football and netball final
WE have been given the privilege of hosting the first preliminary final for the Golden Rivers Football Netball League.
Going by our past performances, we will do it proud.
This will be happening on the same day as our bowls classic but we have managed it before so it will work again this time.
If you would like to lend a hand for an hour or all day, please put your hand up to help us out.
The more hands the merrier. Put August 26 in your calendar to help out or come over for a look.
River levels
THE Edward River has continued to rise and is now at around 3.6 metres and almost 5500 megalitres a day.
The Edward will keep rising as there is almost 16,000ML at Deniliquin. There are still over 49,000ML at Yarrawonga and it looks like it may have levelled off at the time of writing.
The Ovens is down to 15,000ML and the Goulburn is back to 21,000ML a day.
Until another rain, our rivers will just stay high. I have heard of the odd fish biting. Yabbies are still going in the river if you put the time into your drop pots.
