1976
Kyabram had a new mayor after the previous council boss, Cr Arthur Pollard, resigned just three months into the role.
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Cr Vic Kuhle, a successful businessman, took on the Mayor’s position after town clerk E.T. Cornish had accepted the former mayor’s resignation.
Cr Pollard was moving to Bright for a business opportunity and also cited health problems.
He had been a councillor for the last three years, having lived in the town for 18 years.
Cr Kuhle, and wife Shirley, have owned a refrigeration business in Kyabram for the last 22 years
• A day two hearing involving a Kyabram Councillor revolved around interfering with the flow of water in a supply and drainage channel near Mansfield Swamp.
Cr W. M. Leahy told the court he had erected a bank in an attempt to save his $15,000 wheat crop and had received permission from the head water bailiff.
After explaining the flood conditions at the time of the incident the two charges were dropped against the councillor.
• Kyabram’s Peters family scooped the trophy pool when the Kyabram Homing Club held its presentation night.
Vicki and Brenton Peters and father Don won the Warracknabeal Trophy, the Coonable Old Bird Derby, the F Young Memorial Shield, Firestone Teams event, young bird aggregate, old bird aggregate, 300 mile and over event, along with the Gemmill Memorial Shield, donated by the Femmill family of Scotland.
Vicki, Brenton and Don received their trophies from Kyabram Homing Club president Brian Dillon.
• Apricots and plum prices were given a shot in the arm, an extra $25 a tonne pair for the fruit in 1976.
The Fruit Industry Sugar Concession Committee set the price at $200 a tonne for canning quality apricots and $180 a tonne for plums.
• Director of Kyabram Hospital’s fundraising activity, Don Lennox, was on the move after helping the community raise $3,934,000 in a two year stint in the role.
Mr Lennox had spent 10 weeks in an intensive fundraising component of the appeal before calling time on his involvement in the program.
Mr Lennox said it had only been because of the involvement of the people in the town that the program had been so successful.
Prior to becoming involved in the Kyabram campaign Mr Lennox had been involved in the Lumeah project at Echuca.
1986
Outstanding Kyabram musician Martin Williams was selected as one of 75 young Australians and 75 overseas musicians to attend a 12-day music camp in Sydney.
The camp culminated with a concert performance at the Sydney Opera House, the 14-year-old clarinet and piano player supported by Kyabram Rotary Club.
Rotary club secretary Rob Asplin took up the cause after the two pieces of music sent by Martin to the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney had attracted interest.
Martin’s parents, Margaret and Frazer, had musical origins of their own - Frazer a member of the Kyabram Music Club.
Martin was also a member of the Kyabram High School band.
• Four Kyabram fireman, including an ex-captain and present captain, received acknowledgement for a combined 112 years of service to the Kyabram Fire Brigade.
Fireman Roy Watt, who was captain of the brigade for 10 years, received his 45-year long service clasp and current Captain, John Roberts, received a clasp for 30 years of service.
Tom Robinson was recognised for 25 years of service and Col Anderson received a 12-year service badge.
Captain Roberts explained he had been asked to join the brigade by Roy Watt, who had joined the brigade as a 17-year-old.
1996
VCE student Natalie Lawler had no idea of her VCE result before its arrival at Kyabram Post Office.
While the Kyabram Secondary College captain said she expected to gain her VCE certificate, she was extremely surprised by her TER of 98.70.
Such was her amazement that she rang a results information line to check they had got the number right.
After being involved in a 1994 car accident, Natalie had to repeat year 11 in 1995. She was now planning to study physiotherapy at Melbourne University.
Other students to be ranked in the top five per cent in the state were Sam Wills (95.75), Lucy Francis and Kristian Doolan (both 95.15) and Tim Lennie (94.45).
The school had 11 students with a score of 90 or better and more than a quarter of students were in the top 20 per cent in the state.
• Campaspe Shire announced plans to purchase land south of the Kyabram Fauna Park to provide additional drainage storage in times of unusually high rains.
The 80 acre purchase of irrigated pasture land in South Boundary Road cost $215,000 and will be rented back to the vendors for an initial five years at $12,500 a year with a future five year option.
It was expected the land would greatly reduce flooding problems which have seriously impacted Kyabram residents in certain streets in recent years.
2006
The late Fred Billings’ endless generosity extended to the Kyabram Ambulance Auxiliary when the executors of his estate handed over $34,000 for the new ambulance station construction.
Don Tokin, executor of the estate with Jan Harlen, said this was Fred’s final contribution to the community.
He was legendary for his generosity and with his late wife Peg had donated a staggering $500,000 to local organisations.
Kyabram Nursing Home had been a major benefactor of his generosity, as was Kyabram Hospital, the Meals on Wheels organisation and Edis Park, where he financed a sprinkler system.
Peg was daughter of iconic Kyabram medico, Dr Wight, Kyabram’s first doctor who served the town in the latter part of the 19th century.
Fred Billings died aged 95 in 1999.
• Kyabram Chamber of Commerce’s Ky Buys competition sold an amazing 43,800 tickets (representing a $2.2 million expenditure at more than 60 participating businesses).
Three draws were conducted, Michelle Atken and Chris Jones both winning $250. The draw involved various sponsors and the chamber’s president Lou Ciavarella.
Rightline Motorcycle’s John Bacon then stirred the barrel and Rob Danieli of D&M Stockfeeds pulled out the winning ticket.
That ticket belonged to a third Kyabram person, Lynn Newton, who pocketed $10,000 for her trouble.
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