Iconic: A sketch of Killamont homestead.
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A piece of district history for sale
One of the district’s most historic properties is up for sale. Expressions of interest for Killamont, a 392.9-hectare (970-acre) property that has 10 titles and boasts a stately 50sq stately homestead built in the 1890s, are now being sought by its current owner, the Mecuri family, with a November 23 deadline.
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Killamont was one of central Victoria’s last pastoral runs and is best known for its association with the Finlay family. The road alongside its northern boundary proudly bears the Finlay name, and the property was in the family for 93 years. James Alfred Finlay, a son of John Finlay, who owned the huge property The Wyuna Run, bought the property in 1896 from James McPhee.
It was a shrewd investment as he had got word the expanding irrigation network was planned to go through Killamont.
James died in 1942 and the property was then taken over by his son Grahame, who ran it until he died in 1979.The property was then sold at auction ‘lock stock and barrel’, and some of its more recent owners, Neville and Wendy Varcoe, spent a lot of time and money rejuvenating the homestead, which was built in three stages.
One of the few surviving items from that auction was the billiard room with its equipment, which by request remained in the homestead for future owners to enjoy.
Chris McPherson’s legacy: Shepparton’s Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch
Chris McPherson would have been proud of the latest versions of Shepparton’s Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch. That was exactly what it was in Shepparton recently.
More than 1000 blokes turned up to honour what was Chris’ brainchild after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009 and bravely battling on to 2015 when it finally claimed his life.
But not before the co-owner of McPherson Media Group initiated the Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch to get the message of prostrate and bowel cancer awareness into the public arena, particularly for those males who may have been a bit reluctant to get tested.
On the day, nearly $500,000 was turned over, with profits used in helping fund the employment of prostate and bowel cancer nurses along with the Male Bag Freemasons Victoria and the GV Healthy foundations and a $200,000 transperineal biopsy machine.
Another district’s annual recent Biggest Blokes Lunch fundraiser at the Echuca Racing Club pavilion drew a full house of 328. The event has raised more than $500,000 since its inception.
The guest speaker was former Collingwood champion Peter Daicos, who had plenty to talk about after his two sons, Josh and Nick, had just savoured an AFL premiership with the Magpies.
Meet Collingwood legends Swan and Buckley
And you can get close up and personal with more Collingwood Football Club legends in Echuca this Saturday. Brownlow medallists Dane Swan and Nathan Buckley will be appearing at the Echuca Workers Club.
The show titled Brownlow Brilliance will kick off at 1pm and focus on the 20 years between Collingwood’s 1990 and 2010 flags.
Swan made a one-off appearances for both Merrigum Football Club and Mathoura Football Club winning teams in the most recent season.
Tickets to the show can be purchased at https://bit.ly/EWCBB
Saving Kirwans Bridge in Nagambie
The thinking caps are on down Nagambie way to ensure the future of historic Kirwans Bridge. Strathbogie Shire Council is holding a workshop on Monday, October 23, to plan its approach to advocating for funding of repairs to the bridge and enable it to serve into the future.
The bridge, the longest wooden structure of its kind in Victoria, has been closed since last year’s flood event. The closure has meant the 150 residents in the Kirwans Bridge area living on the western side of the bridge face a 17km trip on an unsealed road to get to Nagambie or travel even further to Murchison.
Cobram’s iconic grain silo up for sale
One of Cobram’s landmarks is up for sale.
The iconic grain silo at 18 High St, Cobram, is on the market, and a myriad possibilities are being bandied around as to how it could be best utilised.
It was built in 1942 in response to wartime needs and has been controlled by the Grain Elevators Board.
Nagambie’s foreshore walk now open
Nagambie now boasts a foreshore walk spanning 1.6km from the township to the Nagambie Lakes Regatta Centre on the town’s lake’s southern end.
Barriers on the walk have now been removed to enable the public to access the picturesque pathway. The pathway was officially opened last Thursday.
Finley Bowls Club’s future hangs in the balance
It’s not all bowls and skittles at the Finley Bowls Club.
The club is on its knees and staged a public meeting last Thursday on its future, which will be decided later this year.
Increased costs and decreased patronage have put the club on the edge after the resignation of one director and two more walking out of a recent board meeting.
Taylor’s Murray cod wins people’s choice award
This Murray cod is a winner.
The cod sculpture by Deniliquin artist Stuart Taylor recently won the people’s choice award at the annual Spirit of The Land Lockhart Festival in NSW.
A former fitter and turner in the Navy, Taylor uses scrap metal and other discarded materials to make his creations. He is a five-time winner of awards at the Lockhart festival, but this is the first time he has claimed the people’s choice award.
Popular choice: This Murray cod is a winner.
Did you know?
1. Both kangaroos and emus lack the ability to walk backward (and it was for this reason they were chosen for Australia’s coat of arms, to symbolise a country always moving forward).
2. The termite mounds that can be found in Australia are the tallest animal-made structures on Earth
3. Australia is home to more than 1500 species of spiders.
4. Vegemite was invented in Melbourne in 1922 using the leftover yeast used to create beer.
Square dinkum
G’day.
The council road repair crew was complaining to each other during morning smoko. ‘‘This new work efficiency program that the boss has introduced is really tough and unfair,“ one said. ”He expects us to do the work of three. Lucky there are five of us.’’
