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Kyabram Fauna Park has raised $80,000 towards the $160,000 project but is waiting for additional funding from the Victorian Government.

Fauna Park manager Ron Pope has said if the park was unable to secure the money, Getcha would be in a ‘‘critical’’ position.

“The government knows we are trying very hard to get him a new home, but we have regulations to comply with and if we don’t make the move by mid-year, then we have to make a decision,” he said.

‘‘We will probably have to put the croc down and either have him stuffed or sold as meat because he is getting too big for his enclosure.”

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Ky trio to share courts with tennis stars

Kyabram’s Layton Ironside, Aidan Briggs and Samuel McConnell will take centre stage this month as ball boys for the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.

The boys said they were excited for the Grand Slam tournament at Melbourne Park to start.

This year’s event marks the fourth straight year Samuel will rub shoulders, Layton said he was happy to be involved for the first time after a tough selection process.

‘‘It feels good to be involved, though. I am looking forward to making some new friends and watching some good tennis from a different perspective,” he said.

1996

See the animals in a new light

The Kyabram Fauna Park will open its doors to the public in the evening for the first time this summer.

The park will be open on Wednesday and Friday nights from next Wednesday, January 10 open until 9pm.

Park manager Ron Pope said the night hours were often requested by visitors and the locals.

Evening is a good time to see the animals in summer, as on hot days they tend to rest during the day and come out at night and begin a lot of activity.

Entertainment will be held in the park each night with Bwung Hul an Aboriginal entertainer coming to the park on January 17 and 24.

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Merrigum’s young golfing marvel

Sweet swinging Lisa Jean is the pride and joy of the Merrigum Golf Club.

This weekend, the 14-year-old jets off to Brisbane with the Victorian girls golf team to compete for the Burttacheeney Cup against teams from all states of Australia.

Lisa, who is the only country girl in the six-player Victorian side, has her golfing sights set high.

“I would like to play for Australia one day and also become a professional,” she said confidently, while preparing for her greatest golfing challenge.

At under-age level, Lisa represented the Goulburn Valley and even had the honour of captaining a GV team in inter-regional competitions last year.

But this is her most challenging assignment to date.

1976

Huge crowd at Stanhope Mardi Gras

Possibly the largest ever crowd attended last Thursday night’s annual Mardi Gras at Stanhope.

The main street was packed with people from many towns throughout the Goulburn Valley.

Gross taking were well up on last year’s figure, but it will be several days before the net result is known.

The evening started with an entertaining parade of flats led by the Shepparton City Pipe Band.

Children in fancy dress and decorated bicycles we also well received.

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Just what the doctor ordered

The ‘tonic’ has been a horse called Dubuque and, in this instance, the ‘patient’ has been none other than the doctor himself …. Dr Peter O’Brien of Kyabram.

As a hobby, Dr O’Brien has put a lot of time into establishing a racehorse stud on his picturesque property on the edge of Kyabram’s mystery lake in McEwen Rd.

Like anyone else associated in the sport, the Doc has had his share of setbacks and disappointments.

But these have been partly obscured in recent weeks by a smart two-year-old filly called Dubuque, which the Doc owns and races in partnership with Jack Kennedy of Melbourne.

Dubuque, pronounced ‘Dubuke’ and named after a town on the Mississippi River showed the opposition to a clean pair of heels in a race at Tatura prior to Christmas.