50 YEARS AGO
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1973
ECHUCA BRIDGE: MINISTER SEEKS VIEWS ON SITE
A deputation comprising representatives of Echuca City Council and the Port of Echuca Restoration Advisory Committee will wait on the Minister for Local Government, Mr A. J. Hunt, MLC, to discuss the siting of the proposed new road bridge across the Murray River between Echuca and Moama.
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A special meeting attended by councillors and members of the advisory committee held yesterday morning established the deputation after discussing the contents of a letter sent by Mr Hunt to both bodies.
Mr Hunt’s letter sought the views of the council and committee on the opinion expressed by the Country Roads Board that the best alignment for the bridge was that leading into Warren St, Echuca.
The request follows written and personal representations made to Mr Hunt by Mr Stuart McDonald, MLC for Northern Province, who asked that definite action be taken on the siting, design and construction of the bridge.
FIRST NEW POLICEMEN
The first of four new police officers recently assigned to the Echuca Police Station started duty on Wednesday.
He is Constable Greg Rogers, who was previously stationed at Russell St headquarters in Melbourne.
The three other new officers will start duty in the coming weeks.
ELDERS-GM BUILDING SOLD TO FAMILY
One of the best-known business sites in Echuca changed hands this week.
The two-storey Elders-GM Younghusband building at the corner of Hare and Anstruther Sts, has been sold to Mr Ian Stewart and family for an undisclosed figure.
Mr Stewart’s legal firm occupies part of the building at present.
Area manager for Elders-GM Younghusband, Mr K. R. McKenzie, announced the sale today and plans for his company’s development in Echuca this year.
Elders will build a new office and store on a block purchased from the Stewart family at the corner of Nish and Anstruther Sts.
FUN FACT: A lovely XR Falcon manual sedan, travelled only 40,000-odd miles in original white duco and unmarked bone interior could have been yours for $1390 at C. P. Healey & Sons, 555 High St, Echuca.
25 YEARS AGO
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1998
SHIRE SIGNS JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP PACT
A formal alliance between the Japanese town of Shiroi Machi and Campaspe Shire was signed in Echuca on Friday.
The Friendship Agreement is the culmination of links first forged between the students of Shiroi Machi and Kyabram Secondary College five years ago.
The official signing of the agreement by Campaspe Shire Mayor Mary Bowman and Shiroi Machi Mayor Noriaki Nakumura set the seal on an agreement for “a mutual exchange in education, economic development, tourism, culture and other activities of mutual benefit to further enhance the scope and depth of the existing relationship”.
The program “shall endeavour to contribute to the friendship between Japan and Australia, and to world peace, resulting in prosperity and long-lasting friendship for all”.
Shiroi Machi is a town of 50,000 people, 30km from Tokyo and made up of urban and rural districts.
GLANVILLE RECEIVES LIFE HONOUR FOR WATER SPORTS SERVICE
Peter Glanville is lucky to be alive.
The Echuca earthmover was crushed between the tray and body of a tip truck when working on a farm at McEvoys 18 years ago.
Peter conquered death-defying odds at the time and in the months following beat expert predictions he would never walk again.
For the past 13 years, Peter has tirelessly dedicated his time to the Moama Water Sports Club and recognition for his efforts was forthcoming when, on the eve of the 1998 Southern 80, he received the fourth life membership awarded by the club.
“I thought they were talking about another bloke who was fitting the bill perfectly,” he said.
“I didn’t know whether to sit down, stand up, spin around or what to do.”
THREE BASEBALL TEAMS PREPARE FOR GV SEASON
Members of the Rich River Mariners Baseball Club are back in training for the next Goulburn Valley Baseball Association season, with three teams set to compete.
Seniors will play in A and B grade, with a junior team also entered.
The junior baseball season begins May 3, with 15 keen youngsters, aged 10 to 15 years, attending the first training session last Monday night.
The senior competition gets under way on April 19 with Melbourne baseballer Michael Crooks taking on the playing-coach role.
Crooks, 18, has played division one baseball in Melbourne and in the state league competition.
FUN FACT: The closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics at Nagano was the major event, with Prime7 showcasing the spectacular finale. WIN’s Sunday night movie was Die Hard ... With A Vengeance, with First Knight on Ten Victoria. A Tom Jones special was on offer on the ABC, while SBS was screening the final in the series of Dangerous Liaisons.
10 YEARS AGO
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013
SITE UPDATE EXPECTED
The Victorian Government will make an announcement about land for the new Echuca Police Station today.
It is unknown what is to come in the announcement.
On Friday, a local landowner contacted the Riv to say the Victorian Government had bought his land on the corner of Sturt and Anstruther Sts near the old sawmill site.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was told the land had been purchased for the purpose of a new police station.
The Riv spent the following days trying to confirm the sale with Police Minister Peter Ryan, Premier Ted Baillieu, Member for Rodney Paul Weller and Victoria Police media.
None would confirm or deny whether the land had been purchased.
MECHANICAL FAULT FOR POOR PHONE COVERAGE
Telstra has blamed a mechanical fault with a mobile phone tower for poor phone coverage during the Southern 80 weekend.
Telstra Countrywide area manager for Sunraysia and Northern Victoria Steve Tinker said Telstra had a Cell On Wheels set up at the Victoria Park finish line to improve phone coverage for Southern 80 patrons, participants, organisers and emergency services.
Mr Tinker said the cell broke down on Saturday morning and was not repaired until Saturday evening.
He said while it was unfortunate the temporary system broke down, Telstra was committed to alleviating coverage issues at the event.
‘‘We have invested money into the COW set-up to help coverage issues at the finish line. It was unfortunate that the system went down,’’ he said.
Mr Tinker said he felt for the organisers and emergency service crews affected.
Echuca police Inspector Martin Dorman and Moama Water Sports Club president Steve Robson said the lack of coverage was frustrating, particularly when responding to race accidents at the weekend.
‘‘I apologise, it is unfortunate, particularly for the race organisers,’’ he said.
Mr Tinker said coverage issues were improved along the river on Sunday, once the service was back to full capacity.
Mr Tinker said Telstra Countrywide was committed to ramping up its mobile coverage for large-scale events such as the Southern 80.
GALLICHAN IN LEAD FROM START TO FINISH
Manly’s Richard Gallichan led from start to finish in last week’s annual Rich River Trainee Classic to defeat Medway’s Ben Ford by two shots with a four-round total of 275.
Gallichan returned the best score during last Tuesday’s opening round, with a six-under-par round of 66.
In a field of 140 trainees, only 17 others managed to break par.
Sharing second place with rounds of 67 were Joel Landers (Kwinana, Western Australia), Ethan Conden (Woodlands) and Sean Roach (Southern).
Rounds of 68 were returned by Alexander Pitty (Pennant Hills) and Deyen Lawson (Curlewis).
Three players returned rounds of 69: Clayton Bridges (Toronto), Ben Ford (Medway) and Kyle Grant (Terrey Hills).
There was a log jam of players with rounds of 70 and 71.
Former Rich River members Jack Wilson (72) and Kacey Heywood (79) were a little off the pace.
FUN FACT: Hawthorn champion Robert ‘Dipper’ DiPierdomenico was the special guest at the 2012 Sportstar of the Year awards.
Gregor Mactaggart is the editor of the Riverine Herald.