The claim that Campaspe Shire had only seven unfilled potholes in its roads must have been a premature April Fools’ Day joke, according to one Free Press reader.
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This rather staggering claim was revealed in the Victorian auditor-general’s report in June.
A lot of water obviously has gone under the bridge (and obviously on to our roads) since then but this has to be one of the most misguided political claims in a long, long time — and there has been a lot of them.
Rain dries up
The El Niño forecasters may be on the mark after all.
Kyabram has received no rain since Monday, September 7, and the long-range prediction is that not much rain will fall over the summer months due to heating in the Pacific Ocean.
Croppers are still happy with the season to date but are looking for another general burst of rain within the next two or three weeks to fill out heads on a variety of crops that have enjoyed an almost perfect winter to thrive.
And Saturday and Sunday just passed has been a reminder spring has arrived and summer is approaching with the maximum temperatures hitting 26.5°C and 28.9°C, respectively, the warmest it has been since March 10 when the mercury hit 33.6°C.
Fire at grand final
Drama at the Murray Football Netball League grand final at Moama on Saturday.
A kitchen fire under the grandstand around half-time of the senior game, which short-circuited the scoreboard and forced an evacuation of the grandstand, was attended by several fire brigade units.
Luckily there were no casualties, with the fire contained to the walls.
The facility will be closed for some time.
Better behaviour
Suspensions at the Greater Shepparton Secondary College dropped 13 per cent in the period 2024-25.
According to the Department of Education, and on the school’s behalf, disciplinary measures were now in place to address behavioural issues and ensure the wellbeing of students and staff at the school.
One media outlet had claimed it was Victoria’s “wildest school”.
Reminder for Stanhope motorists
Those people attending the Celebrate Stanhope Food and Wine Festival on Sunday, October 4 are reminded of road closures in the town that day.
Birdwood Ave and parts of Monash St will be closed from 7am to 5pm for the festival.
The organisers apologise for any inconvenience.
Hundreds of charges laid
More than 120 arrests have been made, upwards of 530 charges have been laid and $45,000 of allegedly stolen goods have been recovered in a blitz on Shepparton retail crime.
The light-fingered fraternity’s main targets have been groceries, alcohol and clothing.
An operation team of five police have been active since May in trying to reduce the retail crime rate.
Surge flow in river
The Campaspe River is experiencing a surge flow north from Lake Eppalock for environmental purposes.
About 4800 megalitres were released over four days starting on September 14.
More than 100,000 megalitres has flowed into Lake Eppalock since the start of August but very little has reached the downstream section of the river between Eppalock and Echuca, where the river flows into the Murray River.
Ban has locals fired up
A decision to ban firewood collections from national parks in the Deniliquin area has really fired up the locals.
About 150 concerned and directly affected locals attended a gathering last week in Deni in a push to have the ban overturned.
Cotton on to this
An interesting ‘Did you know?’ snippet of news:
One 227kg bale of cotton can produce 1200 T-shirts, 215 pairs of jeans and 250 single bed sheets.
Well, it can.
Call for rate relief
A petition calling for three years of relief from council rates and the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund for bushfire-affected properties has been tabled in the Victorian Parliament with 603 signatures.
The petition, sponsored by state Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland, calls for three years of council rate relief and three years of relief from the ESVF for properties destroyed or severely damaged in the January bushfires.
Signs were good
If you were travelling from Echuca to Shepparton on Saturday or Sunday no doubt you spotted the endless supply of signs with names and numbers.
Well, it was the work of Echuca Football Netball Club supporters and players who competed in the GVL grand finals at Deakin Reserve on Sunday.
Those who put in the effort and hours to erect the signs and names, nicknames and numbers were rewarded with two football flags (senior and reserves) and two junior netball teams taking home the bacon.
Square dinkum
G’day.
My neighbour suggested I should start putting horse manure on my strawberries.
I tried it — but never again.
I’ve decided to go back to custard and cream.
Hooroo!