Store to close
After 160 years, the Wanganella Community Store is closing its doors.
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Situated on the right side of the north end of the bridge over the Billabong Creek on the Cobb Hwy at Wanganella, north of Deniliquin, its owners, Simon and Kerry Bain, have decided to take it easy after running the business for the past 11 years.
It was relocated a slight distance and rebuilt in the 1970s.
But the good news for historians is the Bains will continue to live there, ensuring it won’t become an abandoned relic of the past.
At times its mail run included covering round trips of 600km serving the Booroorban and northern Conargo areas.
In recent times, Friday night meals were a speciality at the store, with up to 40 meals being served to the many locals who would catch up weekly to compare notes.
Lucky lotto outlet
In Greater Shepparton, newsXpress Riverside tattslotto store in Kialla has been on a roll.
Between Thursday, January 8, and Monday, January 13, some $1.57 million was won through sales at the outlet.
It also held the highest number of shares in the winning syndicate, 100 PowerHits, which was established by Vic Market Lotto.
Share holders received $250,000 for their troubles.
Warning sign cut down
How low can you get?
An automated CFA fire danger sign was cut down only days before the recent horrendous bushfires.
The sign, which was situated on the Goulburn Valley Hwy at Greens Lane at Koonoomoo, was cut down on Wednesday, January 7 between 8am and 1pm when the temperature reached 43°C.
The sign’s solar battery was stolen.
The sign alerts the community to fire safety danger ratings and is worth $60,000.
Anyone with any dashcam footage is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at crimestoppersvic.com.au
Another chance for anglers
The Tocumwal Fishing Classic is making a comeback this Saturday.
It is being held between Smithers Beach and Ulupna Island on the Murray River and it is a catch-and-release competition.
The event is limited to 250 participants and you can enter on the Tocumwal Community Development Facebook page.
Water ski report released
Has the last Southern 80 ski race been run?
Governing body Ski Racing Australia, through a special purpose investigation into water ski racing, has recommended sweeping changes, including banning all water ski events in NSW.
The Southern 80, which has a 60-year history, and the Beehag 100 are staged on the Murray River in the Echuca-Moama. The river is in NSW, so if the recommendations are adopted both these events are doomed.
The Southern 80 has not been held since 2024, when one of 13 fatalities on river courses in NSW since 2004 occurred.
Skiers can reach speeds of 193km/h in races.
Square dinkum
G’day.
Do not believe everything you see in cartoons.
No matter how hard you try, a toilet plunger will not actually stick to someone’s face … and please don’t ask me how I know this.
Hooroo!
Did you know?
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on.
Hence the phrase ‘Goodnight, sleep tight.'
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It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink.
Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
***
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts.
So, in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them ‘‘Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.’’
It's where we get the phrase 'Mind your Ps and Qs.'