SQUARE DINKUM
G’day
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‘‘I am really concerned that my neighbour might be stalking me because, last night at midnight, she was googling my name on her computer ... I could see it quite clearly through my binoculars.’’
Hooroo!!!
Tragic passing
The Rochester district has had to endure some massive setbacks over the past year and it suffered another cruel blow with the death of popular Lockington farmer Max Hann in a tractor tragedy on November 12.
Rochester Football Club stalwart and former secretary Bruce Watson said Max’s passing was a huge blow for the Rochester and Lockington communities as well as the football club.
‘‘He was president of the (Rochester) club for seven years up to 2019 and just a wonderful man. He was always smiling and was much loved and respected.’’
His funeral is being held today with a graveside service at the Rochester cemetery at 11am before a wake at Moon Oval.
Marcia visits Deni
Shoppers at Deniliquin’s Hardy St shopping complex last week were surprised to see an entertainment superstar in their midst.
It just happened to be Marcia Hines and she promptly won over admirers by readily posing with fans for a photograph and a chat.
Now 70, Hines was passing through Deni, heading for Albury, where she was performing that night.
Hines first endeared herself to Australians when she was a teenager appearing in the musical Hair and is also well known for being a judge on Australian Idol.
She has released 22 albums, the latest titled The Gospel According To Marcia Hines.
A voice from beyond
Funeral-goers farewelling Undera Football Club and Kyabram Football League legend Pat Sleeth at his recent funeral were taken aback a little while his coffin was being transferred onto the bier (trolly) for removal from the church by coffin bearers.
A voice suddenly piped up: “Careful, don’t drop me, you are carrying some precious cargo.’’
Yes, it was Pat’s voice. He had made the recording several years ago especially for his funeral and it demonstrated his loveable wit.
Drier than average November
Kyabram received a total of 6.2mm on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week to take the November total to 12.4mm.
This is well below the long-term November average of 36.5mm.
Kyabram has received 379mm of rain so far this year.
A first in Shepparton
Shepparton is claiming a ‘first’ with a Pacific koel spotted in the city’s north.
The Pacific koel can be identified by its black plumage, often tinted with blue and green, and red eye.
Females sport brown plumage along their back with white spots and their underbellies are often cream coloured with fine black stripes.
The koel spotted in north Shepparton is a male and has been particular noisy as it is assumed it has been is looking for a mate.
It is a summer migratory bird which arrives to breed his time of the year and heads home in the autumn.
A few dropped in on Kyabram for a while last year and they have also been spotted in Mooroopna and Murchison areas.
They usually stick to coastal areas on the migratory trips but some lose their compass.
Goulburn Weir walkway reopens
The walkway over Goulburn Weir has reopened following the completion of inspection and maintenance works on the weir.
The walkway will temporarily be closed again in February to allow for periodic testing of Goulburn Weir’s post-tensioned anchors.
Goulburn Weir Recreation Reserve will remain open to the public, as will the toilet block at the reserve.
Can Thunda strike at Melton?
A group of district sports people will be hoping Thunda Struck will strike this Saturday night at the Melton trots.
There are in a syndicate of 17 which races the two-year-old trotter Thunda Struck who is chasing a $100,000 windfall in the Breeders Crown final for two-year-old trotters.
After winning at Kilmore on October 23 at his second start, Thunda Struck claimed a heat of the Breeders Crown series at Maryborough last week at nice odds to book his spot in Saturday night’s final.
Lancaster footballers Ricky and Steve Thomson bought Thunda Struck off their mother Pauline, who bred the trotter.
They then syndicated the son of Muscle Mass to friends and acquaintances and gave the trotter to Chris Lang and Sonia Maher to train.
It’s a pretty impressive list of owners — A B Hindson, C R Patten, T C McNeill, N J Casey, C J Wheeler, J J Quirk, W Shellie, J S Mills, A D Kelly, M W Croxford, S M McDonald, W T Demasi, B R Nexhip, J M Chambers, S S Mills, S R Thomson, R J Thomson — and we hope we aren’t dobbing anyone in to their better half that they have a new hobby.
Regional road deaths climb
Regional road deaths continue to climb at an alarming rate with a double fatality at Goornong on November 12 coming a day after four Samoan factory workers died near Mansfield.
The Goornong accident allegedly happened when a vehicle lost control and collided with a truck.
The deceased had only recently arrived in Australia from Bangladesh.
DID YOU KNOW ...
1. Anna Creek Ranch in South Australia is the world’s largest single cattle ranch – and is larger than Israel.
2.. The Gold Coast has the world’s largest canal system, which is larger than those of both Venice and Amsterdam combined.
3.. The Great Victoria Desert is bigger than the whole of the United Kingdom.
4. Moomba, Australia’s largest free festival held in Melbourne, means ‘up your bum’ in many Aboriginal languages.
Sports reporter