Friday November 1
SWAN Hill Police Station’s parking lot is now a designated location for buyers and sellers to exchange items purchased online as part of the Victorian Police Safer Exchange Site initiative.
Swan Hill Police Acting Inspector Brian Hansen said he was hoping to see a decline in theft and deceptions related to online purchase exchanges.
“The Safer Exchange Site offers a safe place to conduct business transactions and can deter those who may seek to take advantage,” he said.
“Many people buy and sell items through online sales platforms and can often fall victim to scammers and people running fake accounts to deceive customers.” According to Victoria Police, smartphones are the most common high value item stolen in these incidents.
A KERANG man has been charged with arson after a unit was destroyed in a blaze on Wednesday November 30.
Firefighters rushed to the Murray Street property about 6.45am to find the unit on fire.
Kerang Fire Brigade captain Ramon Steele said volunteers managed to stop the fire spreading to an adjacent unit.
It took 15 firefighters 20 minutes to bring the blaze under control. No one was home at the time. “It was a great save,” he said.
“There was absolutely no damage to the unit next door.”
YOUNG writers from 10 local schools in Swan Hill and surrounding areas interpreted the theme “Flood” for the 2024 Young Writers competition.
On Wednesday evening at Swan Hill Regional Library winning and highly commended entries were announced.
The entries by students from prep to year 12 were judged by St Mary MacKillop College teacher Jane Alderuccio and retired English teacher Laurel Harrison.
Tuesday November 5
REPLACING the decommissioned pedestrian bridge that connects Pioneer Settlement and Pental Island is one step closer.
Swan Hill Council released concept images of how the new bridge could look, with feedback now open.
Chief executive Scott Barber said the original timber girder bridge, which was closed after the 2011 floods, wasn’t considered safe for public use.
“This crucial infrastructure update is a first step toward revitalising Pental Island into a new and inclusive cultural space,” Mr Barber said.
SWAN Hill Sunrise Rotary Club has donated $5000 in vouchers to Rural Financial Counselling Services to aid farmers and small business owners experiencing hardship.
RFCS financial counsellor Kerrie O’Brien said the 10 $500 vouchers will help ease the cost-of-living burden for clients, particularly in the lead-up to the holiday season.
“These vouchers can make a massive difference for a family struggling to meet daily living expenses and can help to keep them afloat,” she said.
“Farmers are still feeling the effects of drought, flooding and fire, and the input costs are rising on everything farmers need to get their crops planted.
Friday November 8
A CROP fire at Blackwire Road, Swan Hill on Saturday is believed to have been intentionally lit according to Victoria Police.
The fire started at approximately 5pm and was the second fire reported on Blackwire Road on the same day.
A previous fire occurred on October 28.
Swan Hill Police Acting Inspector Brian Hansen said the fires appear to have been started in a similar manner.
“The investigation has so far indicated that the fires were intentionally lit,” he said.
Acting Insp Hansen said that police were patrolling for people carrying out dangerous activities on high-risk fire danger days.
A PASSENGER was trapped in a car after a three car collision on Murray Valley Highway southeast of Castle Donnington about 8:30am on Thursday November 7.
While there were no serious injuries, the passenger door of the first vehicle was significantly damaged and could not be opened, requiring Swan Hill SES to use the “jaws of life” hydraulic rescue equipment. “The driver and passenger were taken to hospital for observation but are in a stable condition,” said Swan Hill Police Acting Sergeant Travis Collier.
“Before the SES arrived, the passenger was talking to responding officers but just couldn’t get out.” Sgt Collier said the second vehicle contained three children who were unharmed.
Tuesday November 12
PASSERS-by are being praised for their quick response to contain a fire at Nyah District Primary School about 5.30pm on Friday November 8.
CFA District 18 assistant chief fire officer Gavin Wright said five fire trucks responded to the scene and found a fire was burning in a rubbish storage area next to the outer wall of the main administration building.
He said the heat from the fire broke a window in the administration area and the fire was starting to enter the building through the damaged window when the brigade arrived.
“One of the two passers-by saw the fire, ran to a nearby shop and grabbed a fire extinguisher,” he said.
“They kept the fire contained in the minutes before the CFA arrived and may have helped prevent it from entering the inside of the building.”
SWAN Hill came together to commemorate Australian and Allied service people fallen in the line of duty, and their families for Remembrance Day on Monday.
Emcee Warrant Officer Class Two Greg White (retired) led the service with the assistance of Swan Hill RSL sub-branch Chaplain Reverend Denis Gell, president Viv Holland and Australian Air Force Cadets for the traditional recitals.
Damien Howison performed the Last Post and Rouse on the bugle.
Alongside the regular traditions of Remembrance Day, Cadet Janaya Corr recited a new poem written by Patrick C. Elliott, a then-Year 8 student at Maffra Secondary College and given to the Swan Hill RSL.
Friday November 15
THE drawcards of the 2024 NSW Open, Cam Smith and Lucas Herbert, delivered for the entourage of fans following their every stroke on the opening day of competition on Thursday at Murray Downs Golf and Country Club.
Smith, the LIV Golf Ripper GC captain, finished the opening round atop of the field with a magnificent bogey-free, seven-under-par 64 that equalled the course record – although the course has been changed from a par 72 to a par 71 for the event.
The 2022 PGA Player of the Year winner praised the course following the day’s play, liking the “old-school kind of design”.
SWAN Hill Specialist School student Lachlan Roberts ran 25 laps around the school’s sporting grounds to raise awareness about homelessness in Australia.
On Friday, October 25, Mr Roberts ran 10km and raised $250 for people experiencing homelessness by participating in Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge.
The 18-year-old student said he wanted to undertake the challenge to support Australians experiencing homelessness after doing research on the issue for his senior project.
“I thought it was a pretty cool idea, and I just decided to give it a shot,” he said.
“I just want people to know that you can do things out of your comfort zone to spread awareness for a good cause.”
Tuesday November 19
TWO new members have been inducted into the Mallee Regional Partnership to help advocate on behalf of the region.
Water industry representative Paul Northey and mining industry representative Bernie Hyde are the new appointees to the six member group.
Across the state, 67 people have been appointed to roles as part of nine regional partnerships, including 42 new members and 25 who are returning for another term.
Mr Northey is a managing director at Lower Murray Water and has experience in the Victorian water industry and department of transport and planning.
Mr Hyde has more than 40 years in the mining industry, is the chair of the Minerals Council of Australia, and the executive general manager at VHM Limited.
THE ban on social media for people aged under 16 is a “quick fix”, according to Independent candidate for Farrer Michelle Milthorpe.
The educator said the Federal Government’s proposal failed to address the root causes of social media misuse among young people.
Ms Milthorpe, who said she was familiar with the negative impacts of social media, believed the policy was more about “public appeasement” than real protection.
It was “ignoring the fundamental role that cyber literacy and responsible digital engagement must play” in helping young Australians navigate online spaces safely, she said.
“I’m all too aware of the negative impact social media misuse can have on the lives of young people,” Ms Milthorpe said.
Friday November 22
CHRISTINE Hildenhagen is reminded every day of the physical and mental toll of a hit-run.
The Barham resident was hit by a ute as she legally crossed Campbell Street, Swan Hill, on October 16.
The driver didn’t stop to render assistance.
Witnesses at a cafe ran to her aid as she nursed an injured upper right arm and was shaken by what had happened.
Ms Hildenhagen said she was about a quarter of her way across the pedestrian crossing when she was hit.
Ms Hildenhagen said the ute was owned by a local corporation because of its large branding on the passenger door.
Asked if she would approach the business herself, Ms Hildenhagen said she felt it was right to let the police investigate.
THE recent release of a digital storybook featuring Wamba Wamba stories is the first time they have been written and re-told publicly since the language was banned in the 1930s.
In an effort to revive the endangered Indigenous language, years of workshopping and collaboration between school students, community custodians and Elders took place before publishing the bilingual Wamba Wamba Multi-Touch Book.
The stories ‘Muyi-Mir’ and ‘Pondi’ were written with the help of Wamba Wamba Community Elder Aunty Stephanie Charles, Wamba Wamba artist Sandra Kropinyeri, and Wamba Wamba cultural educator Uncle Ron Murray.
With the support of a Digital Workshop Program by SharingStories Foundation, students in Swan Hill North Primary School and Swan Hill Primary School created illustrations, animations and sounds for the book.
Tuesday November 26
POLICE are in the early stages of investigating vandalism to the McCallum Street toilet block at the weekend.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Lee Brown said two toilet cubicles were damaged between Friday 7pm and Saturday 3pm.
“One toilet was completely destroyed and the other toilet and the basins were damaged,” he said.
The toilets are under CCTV surveillance.
Sen-Constable Brown asks that any witnesses contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
FESTIVAL goers braved the heat to enjoy food, drinks and live music at Brew & Chew, Riverside Park on the weekend.
The two-day event featured nationally acclaimed musicians The Rubens, Kingswood and Benny Walker as well as local performers, along with a range of food trucks, for the ultimate riverside picnic and festival.
Organiser Hudson Watts said they had more than 2000 people through the gate over the course of the weekend, with younger patrons turning out on Saturday night.
“Obviously the weather was challenging, with people opting to come later in the day once the heat had subsided,” he said.
Friday November 29
THE community launched 16 Days of Activism with a Walk Against Family Violence on Monday November 25 to demonstrate a shared commitment to end family violence.
The campaign aims to promote conversations and education about the many forms that family violence takes and the support available to victim survivors.
Orange Door program manager Peta Reid said while she did not doubt that rates of family violence were increasing, so were community conversations that reduced shame and stigma for victim survivors.
“It is no secret that we live in a community with high rates of family violence, sometimes reaching the highest rates in Victoria,” she said.
MEMBER for Murray Plains Peter Walsh will remain in Parliament until the next election, despite stepping down as leader of the Victorian Nationals on Monday night after a decade.
Gippsland South MP Danny O’Brien was elected unopposed as the new leader in a party room meeting.
Lowan MP Emma Kealy will remain deputy leader, despite long being touted as a successor.
Ms Kealy told the media on Tuesday she had nominated Mr O’Brien as leader.
The Guardian understands Mr Walsh, who turned 70 in January, advised the party a fortnight ago he would step down from the leadership before the 2026 state election, but there was no timeline attached.
