Reflections from the past

The generosity of service clubs, said Mr Clyne, and the selling of car stickers, was their main source of revenue. The cost of equipment and maintenance of the club was $3000 a year.

Several members of the Rochester Business and Professional Women’s Club purchased car stickers.

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The role of municipal councils in Australia today was drastically changing, Cr A.D.J. Fraser, told a large gathering at the presidential dinner of the Shire of Rochester.

Once, said Cr Fraser, the main role of the municipality was through roads and by service to the ratepayers, now this role has become secondary.

At every council meeting now, there was a long list of other requirements.

Cr Fraser, who is the newly installed president of the Shire of Rochester, said in the years ahead, they may see municipalities facing up to a number of unsurmountable tasks, and the co-operation of neighbouring municipalities was vital.

25 years ago October 1999

The impact of proposed open cut gold mines at Axedale and Goornong will be put before Rochester district residents when the Citizens Against Open Cut Mining hold a public meeting in the shire chambers next month.

Organisers are expecting a good turnout of residents, who they believe will be ultimately affected by any leaching from the proposed gold mines into the Campaspe River and underground streams.

The group, who met with Elmore residents a fortnight ago, have put a display in a shop window in Gillies Arcade to acquaint district people with the progress of Perserverance Mining Company’s Environmental Effects Statement process.

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Having a say on issues expected to affect the environment, and ultimately the community, over the next 10 to 20 years, and then formalising commitments to address those issues, is what a meeting to be held at Nanneella is all about.

Dairy farmers Peter Gibson and Kim Mundie are working with Goulburn Murray Landcare Network community monitoring co-ordinator Chris Guthrie to bring Nanneella and district residents together to create a Local Area Plan.

The trio hopes plenty of ideas flow from the meeting and are confident the close-knit Nanneella community will get behind the idea of taking charge of its future.

10 years ago October 2014

‘‘Country people are killing themselves on country roads’’ and Sergeant Dale Simm of Rochester police is determined to stop the carnage.

Sgt Simm and his colleagues are committed to achieving the goals of a new Victoria Police push to cut the country road toll.

The five-year Safer Country Roads Plan, launched last week, aims to reduce the state’s road toll to fewer than 200 deaths and 3850 serious injuries by 2022.

Country Victorians are also three times more likely to be killed and 40 per cent more likely to be seriously injured on the road than their city counterparts.

‘‘There is a common belief that its people driving up from Melbourne, but it’s not,’’ Sgt Simm said. ‘‘It’s local people.

‘‘And every death in the country affects the community, much more than if it happened in the city.’’

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Rochester siblings Bryce and Ebony Gordon spent their September school holidays a little differently this year — they went to diabetes camp.

The children have type 1 diabetes.

The 65 children aged 12 to 14 who attended enjoyed horse riding, sailing, the flying fox, giant swing and a Halloween-themed disco.

The camp was run by 32 volunteers, 13 nurses, an onsite doctor and several dieticians.

Diabetes camps offer education, information and support to promote and empower self-management for young people with type 1 diabetes.

Younger brother Bryce was diagnosed in 2011 when he was just 10, while Ebony, 14, was diagnosed last year.