Cannery mix up
McMaster-Smith is a famous name in Kyabram and a prominent part of the Kyabram Cannery history.
Identifying who belongs to who in the rather large family is sometimes challenging and it got the better of us on this occasion.
Our sincere apologies to the family for incorrectly identifying June Steele as Ed McMaster Smith’s daughter. She is, of course, his sister.
To clarify Tom McMaster-Smith is June Steele’s father and he was manager at the cannery.
Ed McMaster-Smith was the Chairman of Directors at the cannery.
And, for the record, Kathy Zozevski is Tom’s grand daughter.
Kyabram and district didn’t get as much rain as was forecast last week — and that was welcomed by many, particularly grain growers.
But with more rain forecast for this week there are still some anxious grain farmers.
Above-average rainfall
From last Wednesday night to Friday morning Kyabram received a total of 19.8mm, which has taken the yearly total to 409.2mm. This is above the average of 377mm to this time of the year. At the same time last year Kyabram had received 340mm.
Kyabram’s wettest October belongs to 1975 when 163mm was dumped with the driest in 2006 with 1mm, followed by 2007 (2mm) and 2008 (5mm).
And with the wet year, Lake Eppalock water has poured over the spillway for the first time in six years.
The lake was just 49.2 per cent full in June but that level has now risen to 101.8 per cent.
Torrumbarry Weir is also over capacity at 100.9 per cent.
Jemima’s Garryowen placing
Kyabram podiatrist Jemima Draper has been placed in one of Australia’s most prestigious equestrian events.
Jemima finished third in the time honoured Garryowen equestrian event at the recent Melbourne Royal Show.
Jemima had previously placed fourth three times in the event.
Jemima, 30, was riding Bellaire Cartier, a 16 hands mare who also won the Best Novice Senior Rider 25 years of age and over, the best Novice Senior Rider and Open Rider in the 30 Years and Over section on the horse.
Jemima runs a podiatry business in Albion St, Kyabram, and with her partner have a horse property at Tamleugh North near Euroa.
Lesson learned
Thieves have been active in Kyabram of late as one local and businessman Dean Ciavarella can vouch for.
The Betta Home Living boss recently he had tools and power equipment valued between $3000 and $4000 stolen from the back of his work ute in the car park behind his Allan St business.
‘‘I was away for about 30 minutes and they were taken out of the back of the ute,’’ he said.
Dean reckons he has learnt his lesson and will have his equipment under lock and key from now on.
Change of ownership
Shepparton Market Place has changed ownership for $88.1 million.
Singapore-based Sim Lian Metro Capital has made the purchase after strong interest from private and institutional investors.
Investors were attracted by the centre’s location and strong combined sales performance and income from tenants Woolworths and Big W who have leases to 2030 with further options.
Nation’s best tipster
The “Mayor” of Moulamein China Gibson has supplied us with another interesting snippet of news from that neck of the woods.
Moulamein identity Ben Pearse thought he was pretty smart winning the local bowling club’s AFL tipping competition and picking up a couple of hundred bucks in the process.
But when he started getting text messages that he had won a national tipping competition as well and they wanted his banking details he smelt a rat.
Ben immediately thought ‘‘another rip off.’’
Then he remembered he had entered a national competition at the start of the season, but had never given it much thought since.
So, eventually but somewhat warily he provided his bank details... and bingo — 50 grand suddenly jumped into his account.
Ben gave what he would do with the windfall some thought and eventually decided 40 grand would come off his house loan and he would have ‘‘a little play around’’ with the remainder.
Singlets world record
The blue singlets had it at the recent Deni Ute Muster.
Some 4136 attendees wearing blue singlets eclipsed the previous Guinness World Records mark of 3972 set at the muster in 2019.
But the other world record attempt of 7962 utes came up well short of the previous record of 9736 set in 2013.
All up 18 000 people attended the muster.
Blessing of animals
A church service with a difference took place at Nagambie last Sunday.
The usual congregation was joined by horses, cats, dogs and other pets including fish for a blessing of animals at a non denominational service conducted at St John’s Anglican Church by Rev Richard Pennington.
Flooded festival
Tocumwal’s Strawberry Field festival has had to be cancelled for the third successive year.
COVID-19 caused the cancellation in 2021 and 2022, but this time it is due to flooding.
Tocumwal Business Chamber president Sergio Redagalli said the cancellation of the festival would mean a $3 million loss to the local economy.
On the more positive side for the town the gardens will be in the spotlight at Tocumwal on Sunday week, October 23, with an open gardens day returning.
Garden of all types will be on display from 10am to 4pm and anyone seeking more information about the expo, visit opengardensvictoria.org.au
Big paddle cancelled
Due to the high current river levels the Massive Murray Paddle has been called off.
But it has been slotted for early next year.
There is a current ban on all Murray River events but Massive Murray Paddle organiser, Sydney Harbour Kayaks have slotted in February 27 to March 3, 2023, for the 415km paddle starting at Yarrawonga and finishing at Koondrook.
Everything going to plan this event will be staged twice next year with plans to also run the event in the traditional November 20-24 timeslot in 2023.
Sniffer dog challenge
Sniffer dogs have a new challenge with Australia’s first fruit fly detector dogs to be deployed in South Australia’s Riverland fruit growing area.
The detector dogs have the potential to cover large areas of land quickly and support field teams in their search by identifying potential fruit fly hotpots.
Four-year-old Border Collie “Max” and three-year-old German Shepherd “Rylee” are the first dogs to complete a four-month training session and will be used in the first month long trial to assess their effectiveness.
Orange flag raised
Shire of Campaspe has approved a request to fly the orange flag in place of the shire flag at appropriate locations across the municipality between November 25 and December 5.
The action is to support 16 Days of Activism to take a stand against gender and family violence.