“I started Mowing Motivation from a lived experience of domestic violence to help other women in the same predicament,” Mowing Motivation owner Lydia Thomson said.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Echuca local inspires on TV
Echuca’s Mowing Motivation owner Lydia Thomson, a domestic violence survivor turned entrepreneur, has shared her inspiring business journey on Network 10’s new series Start Me Up, which premiered on June 28.
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Ms Thomson established her company to create opportunities for women facing similar circumstances to her past.
Her success led to winning Asuria’s Small Business Start-up award and an invitation to appear on Start Me Up, hosted by influencer Liv Phyland.
The two-part series aired at 2pm on Network 10 and is available on 10 Play.
Uncertainty for Merrigum mail
After 10 years at the post office, Angela Spedding is stepping away from the world of mail and packages in Merrigum.
Photo by
Jemma Jones
A woman who fought to keep mail coming to her town has now had to step away from her duties at the post office, leaving in her wake an uncertain future for residents.
Angela Spedding has been working the front desk of the Merrigum Post Office since 2015, sorting through mail and handing over parcels to residents of the town, which has a population just short of 700.
The community postal agent (CPA) post office closed up shop at its Waverley Ave location on Monday, June 16, with Australia Post committing to finding a solution in the coming weeks.
However, a permanent location for a post office with full postal services has been up in the air since it transitioned to a CPA in August 2024.
The change from a licensed post office to a CPA meant residents were no longer able to pay bills or send international parcels, among other full-service options.
It came after Mrs Spedding experienced a severe infection from a past surgery, and her doctor told her she had to have surgery to remedy the problem immediately.
She said following her recovery from that surgery last year, and the emotional stress alongside her sickness and running the post office, she decided it was time to step away from her duties.
After 10 years at the post office, Angela Spedding is stepping away from the world of mail and packages in Merrigum.
Photo by
Jemma Jones
Highest crime in a decade
Campaspe has seen a 10.3 per cent rise in crime, with theft from retail stores entering the top five offences in 2025 statistics.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Crime in Campaspe has hit its highest peak in almost a decade.
According to the Crime Statistics Agency’s latest report, Campaspe experienced a 10.3 per cent increase in criminal incidents for the year ending March 2025, compared to the previous 12-month period.
In the recorded period, Campaspe recorded 3166 incidents, up nearly 300 from 2024.
A steady increase in crime is a trend seen across the state, with a 17.1 per cent increase in offences across Victoria in the past year.
In Campaspe, theft-related offences dominated the crime statistics.
Notably, theft from retail stores entered the top five offences for the first time since the CSA began recording in 2016.
