50 years ago
July 1974
Former Rochester man George Fuller, joint managing director of an H.J. Heinz Company operation in Morocco which is being set up at a cost of $3.5 million to grow and process tomatoes, left Rochester 15 years ago to live in Portugal.
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Mr Fuller and his wife and their two daughters, Helen and Prudence, first went to Lisbon, where Mr Fuller took charge of a new operation for Heinz for 12 months.
Since then, he has been associated with all European operations of Heinz, including plants in Turkey, Israel, Spain, Greece and now Morocco.
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The Federal Government will no longer offer subsidies and incentives to primary producers to increase production.
Instead, it will concentrate its spending on improving welfare conditions of people living in rural areas.
Prime Minister Gough Whitlam said the preoccupation exhibited by previous governments for increasing rural production to earn foreign exchange had passed.
‘’This does not mean that we ignore the vital importance of economically healthy and efficient industries — industries which despite all the attention given to mineral development, still provide over half our exports,’’ he told the National Rural Press Club.
‘’It simply means that it no longer pays us more than it would pay you, yourselves, to develop them.’’
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Rochester’s top sportsman, Ivor Thompson, clinched a unique double on Saturday when he outclassed Doug Weaving to win the Rochester Golf Club Championship.
Earlier in the year, Ivor won the championship of the Rochester Bowling Club.
The A-grade final was closely contested with the result in doubt to the last hole. Ivor won one up.
Des Bassett defeated Ricky Butler at the 19th hole in B-grade, Geoff Cruse took out the C-grade when he defeated Jim McCurry 5 and 4 and Jack Anderson had a similar winning margin over John Moon in D-grade.
25 years ago
July 1999
Dairy farmers are being urged to access industry support in their efforts to manage low returns in the wake of low opening milk prices and a downturn in dairy export markets.
Low opening milk prices are expected to significantly reduce farmer returns for the coming season and UDV president Max Fehring has expressed deep concern about the impact this will have on Victorian dairy farming families.
Murray Goulburn announced a 1999 opening price for suppliers of premium one quality milk at $1.71 per kilogram butterfat and $4.03 per kilogram protein, which includes a season incentive for July production.
The opening in 1998 was $1.91 per kilogram butterfat and $4.49 per kilogram protein.
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It’s only her second year studying classical ballet, but already seven-year-old Brooke Sinclair has caught the eye of the judges.
Brooke was the only Rochester competitor in the Bendigo Eisteddfod, held over two days of the school holidays.
On Wednesday, she brought home a third placing in the jazz section where she donned an ‘’Abba’’ costume for her routine, a special award for her character piece ‘’At the Beach’’ and another for her neo-classical ‘’Baby Mime’’, and a highly commended for her classical ballet Coup de Couree.
The talented young dancer studies dance at the Anton Lee Theatrical Dance company, which has sessions for all age groups each week in the Rochester Shire hall.
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Last Saturday was another busy day for Rochester umpire Ron O’Neill.
He was central umpire for the under-14 Rochester Magpies morning game against Tongala at the Windridge Oval, then a quick lunch at home with wife Jan before heading off to Colbinabbin to don the goal umpire’s white jacket for the firsts’ match against White Hills.
The difference between last Saturday and others past was that it marked the 799th and 800th time Ron walked on to the football field to umpire as a member of the Rochester and District Football Umpires Association.
White the juniors hailed him with a ‘’well done, Ronnie!’’, Colbinabbin and White Hills seniors lined up either side of the entry race to clap Ron and fellow umpire David Lofthouse (who notched up his 550th game at Colbinabbin) on to the field
10 years ago
July 2014
Anne McEvoy is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities in her new role as chief executive of Rochester and Elmore District Health Service.
Mrs McEvoy replaced Matt Sharp, who finished in the position in March.
She was acting chief executive, following two-and-a-half years as clinical services director at REDHS.
‘‘This is a good challenge for me and I’m heartened by the opportunity this role provides,’’ she said.
Mrs McEvoy said the chief executive’s role was primarily to develop and implement the strategic plan, as well as working with the board of management.
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Lockington and district residents voiced their concerns about lack of transport at Campaspe Shire Council’s pop-up session yesterday.
The session at Lockington Business Centre asked residents to fill out a survey into council’s new access and inclusion plan 2014-17, which aims to remove barriers and promote participation by people of all abilities in all aspects of community life.
Shire rural access project officer Andrew Thomson said several people had filled out the survey, which asked residents how council could improve inclusion and access to buildings and services.
‘‘There has been a common flavour to their answers and that is transport. This seems to be a big barrier for people in Lockington,’’ he said.
‘‘Lockington has a high aged and disabled population. As far as accessing services, it is a barrier for people living in rural areas.’’
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Lockington Consolidated School will portray the beauty of the Murray River when it performs in the Wakakirri Challenge in Melbourne on Thursday.
Sixty-seven students, from Year 3-6, are taking part in the challenge, with their story titled The Mighty Murray.
Performing arts teacher Jenny Howlett said the students had been rehearsing all of last term and were looking forward to telling their story.
‘‘This is a personal story for our students as many of them spend their summers swimming, skiing and fishing on the nearby Murray,’’ she said.
‘‘We try to portray the peacefulness and serenity of the Murray sunrise and birdlife, we touch on the history of the paddlesteamers to transport the farmers’ wool and we celebrate the leisure activities.’’
Campaspe News