Rumours are persisting that fast food giant McDonald’s is negotiating to have a Kyabram restaurant.
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While Macca’s has announced nothing officially, Traps believes if some conditions are met Macca’s will have an Allan St presence in the future.
A rumour also persists that a mega supermarket chain is eyeing a new Kyabram outlet.
Prime land for sale
One of Kyabram’s prime properties is up for sale for what would be a record price tag for the district if negotiated successfully.
Two lots of 237ha and 240ha land on separate titles on John Allen Rd, 5km from Kyabram, are being offered for sale at between $7.2 million and $8 million by Frank and Cathy Fanning.
Expressions of interest close next Thursday, July 28.
John Lilford and Greg Caldwell of selling agents Hinchliffe and Greed Real Estate, Kyabram, are handling the sale.
John said it was unusual two lots of large land so close to Kyabram were being offered as excellent cropping land.
He said there had been huge interest in the sale, including from big corporates, overseas interests and even locals.
A year since passing
A year has passed since Kyabram and district lost much-loved citizen and community worker Grace Hilder.
At the time of her passing on July 20 last year, COVID-19 was rife and her contribution to the Kyabram community never received the recognition it warranted and deserved.
But her proud sons Jim and Ross (Peter is deceased) would love their mum’s contribution to the town where she lived for 60 of her 93 years after being raised in Tatura be known.
Among the clubs and organisations she supported and worked for in Kyabram were the Kyabram Football Netball Club, Uniting Church, Save The Children Fund, Uncle Bobs and Meals on Wheels.
She was also an active member of Dual Ware Mooroopna, a charity that supports people with a disability.
Grace was also a long-serving nurse at Kyabram Hospital.
Memories of pharmacist
The recent passing of Ward Potts on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast has revived plenty of pleasant memories, particularly for Tongalaites with long memories.
Ward, who was 87, and his father, Ted, ran the Tongala Pharmacy through the 1960s to the mid-1990s, and according to Tongala stalwart Ron (Spud) Florence were ‘‘great people who were great for the community“.
Spud said a lot of people were indebted to Ted, who would often dispense free medication to customers doing it tough.
‘‘Ward was also very community-minded. He used to help maintain the town’s present Village Green, which was originally named in his honour,’’ Spud said.
Ward was also a prominent cricketer with the Tongala Cricket Club for many years, specialising as a wicketkeeper and batsman.
‘’Tongala had a great ’keeper in Jimmy Ogden in those years, but Ward wasn’t far behind him,’’ Spud said.
Rain is needed
Believe it or not, rain is needed.
In what are traditionally some of the wettest months of the year, the May and June period has produced just 58mm in Kyabram.
Just 26mm was recorded in May, which has an average of 41mm, and 32mm in June, which averages 40mm.
And so far in July, which has an average of 42mm, only 1.8mm has been recorded.
So the May-June-July period, which averages 123mm, has produced only 60mm.
So far this year Kyabram has received 241.2mm.
It’s not panic stations yet, but the recent dry spell has had grain growers in particular scanning the skies looking for a decent break in the weather to give their crops a boost.
Nicholls on postage stamp
Tongala Football Netball Club’s most famous player, the late Sir Douglas Nicholls, is to be honoured with an Australia Post stamp.
The release of the stamp marks 50 years since he became the first First Nations Australian to be knighted, and the announcement was made to coincide with the recent NAIDOC Week celebrations.
New Huntly stop
Those train travellers on the Echuca-Bendigo line have an added port of call on their trip.
A new station at Huntly is now a stop on the track to cater for 18 services a week between Echuca and Bendigo.
Cactus business’s award
It’s a prickly subject, but it’s a winner.
Strathmerton’s Cactus Country business has been adjudged the Travellers’ Choice in Tripadvisor’s 2022 national tourist attraction awards.
The nation’s largest cactus garden’s owner and chief executive, John Hall, described the award as ‘‘a dream come true’’ and thanked those who had supported the business in challenging COVID times.
‘Oppy’ exhibit on track
World renowned curator Laura Stedman is to design and create a new ‘Oppy’ exhibit at the Rochester Sports Museum.
Stedman spent five years at the Museum of Rugby Union in London and will create a new tribute to Rochester’s greatest sporting export, legendary cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman.
The display will take up three quarters of the museum’s entrance and current office space.
Mrs Stedman’s husband is currently chief executive of the MCG-based Australian Sports Museum, and she works at the museum.
Mrs Stedman will also help in establishing a new Shaun Atley display in the museum dedicated to the former North Melbourne 200-gamer, who is currently continuing his career with Rochester.
Quick response
There has been a quick response to the announcement that the deputy leader of the Nationals, Steph Ryan, will be stepping down at the November Victorian election.
Strathbogie Shire councillor Kristy Hourigan has indicated her intention to contest pre-selection for the state seat of Euroa, which Ms Ryan is vacating.
Mangalore pub open
The Mangalore pub is serving drinks again.
Last Friday, the pub opened its doors for first time since 2010.
The pub, first built in the 1800s, burnt down in 2003 and was rebuilt the following year, operating until 2010 before shutting its doors again.
New owner and licensee Andrea had no trouble co-opting help from locals keen to see the pub thrive, with residents putting on the finishing touches in the countdown to the reopening.
Parking comes at a cost
Parking in some places in Echuca’s central business district is to come at a cost.
Campaspe Shire Council will shortly install a further 14 “pay and display” parking meters in a number of locations across its CBD.
The parking meters are to provide consistency across the Echuca CBD according to council community general manager Keith Oberin.
“Twelve meters will be placed in identified ‘gaps’ in a number of on-street parking locations and two meters will be placed in the off-street car parks,” Mr Oberin said.
“Community feedback has indicated that an additional meter is required in both the Nish St and High St car parks, to alleviate the need to park at one end of the car park and then walk back to the meter to pay.”
The locations of the additional on-street meters are:
• Four meters to be placed on the east end of Anstruther St, near ALDI supermarket;
• Seven meters to be placed on Annesley St between Pakenham St and Florence St; and
• One meter to be placed on Hare St, near Bendigo TAFE.
Golf club boost
Nagambie Golf Club has received a $101,000 boost from Victorian Government funding to improve facilities at its course.
Club project manager Michael Roberts said the grant would be used in upgrading three fairways and installing a new pumps system and would be a stepping stone to further planned upgrades.
Councillor fined
A former Benalla Rural City councillor has been hit with a $5000 fine and ordered to pay legal costs of $3500 over personal interest return non-disclosures while in office.
William van Wersch who served one term on council and unsuccessfully stood for re-election in 2020, failed to submit two interest returns within the required time and also failing to disclose a number of personal interests in five of his ordinary returns.
He pleaded guilty to six charges in Benalla Magistrate’s Court.
Last servo shuts down
The last service station in Deniliquin’s east is shutting its door this Sunday.
Owner the Purtill Group said staff shortages and market conditions had forced the closure but its current employees had been given the chance to continue working at other sites it owns in the town.