From footy to fundraisers, celebrations to successes, and everything else in between: we have it all, here, in the Telegraph’s Year in Review.
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Here are the top local stories, both news and sport, that made headlines from January to June this year.
January 8
Nagambie Primary School student Cerise Williams was chosen to represent Australia at the Teen Star International pageant in Thailand at the end of July this year, after having only completed her first pageant in November, 2024.
Damian Amuso from Kilmore was selected to represent Australia in what’s known as the ‘Bricklaying Olympics’ in Las Vegas.
January 15
Seymour Intereach local area co-ordinator and CFA peer support worker Lesley Read shared her story about spending Christmas Day surrounded by the unrelenting blazes of the Grampians bushfires, saying, “for me, the benefits outweighed anything else”.
In sport, Peter Elliott was chosen to take the reins at the Seymour Football Netball Club, stepping into the role of presidency following the resignation of long-serving Gerard O’Sullivan.
January 22
Seymour and District Community House was looking ahead to an exciting 2025 after receiving a Food Relief grant of more than $42,000 from the Victorian Government’s Department of Family, Fairness and Housing.
Nagambie romped to a big victory over Moama in what was suggested to be a finals-shaping clash in the Goulburn Murray Cricket Senior Women’s competition.
January 29
Mitchell Shire residents were celebrated in a community awards ceremony held on January 26 in Broadford, with Wayne Cornish named as Citizen of the Year and Pippa Skala named as Young Citizen of the Year.
Northwood resident Nate Shortt, who was 14 at the time, was selected among 19 other under-21-year-olds in the whole of Oceania for the FIM SGP Academy.
February 5
Seymour and District’s University of the Third Age was gearing up to embark on a year of celebrations, marking its second decade of operation within the town.
Seymour claimed a big win over Pyalong, wrapping up a finals position in the Seymour District Cricket Association A-grade competition, while Tallarook tightened its grip on top spot with a crushing defeat of Alexandra.
February 12
The Telegraph was invited to see some of the friendly pups spending their retirement before adoption at the Greyhound Adoption Program in Seymour, which has a mission of, as operations co-ordinator Leah Brookes said, “rehoming retired greyhounds and spreading the word on just how fantastic a pet they make”.
The Nagambie Lakers locked in their Goulburn Murray Cricket Women’s semi-final spot after a commanding victory over Shepparton Youth Club United at Shepparton’s Princess Park.
February 19
The Comfort Inn Coach and Bushmans was distinguished alongside other top performers in the Choice Hotels Asia-Pac 2024 Gold Award, selected among just 20 other hotels across Australia and New Zealand for the award.
Olivia Attard left the Shepparton Gift with two sashes following a brilliant display of running.
February 26
Alister Purbrick, a stalwart of the wine industry from Tahbilk Estate, was recognised with an appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia – all in the same year that his family celebrated 100 years of owning the winery.
After more than 30 years of dedicated service, Salvatore Guido (Guy) Zuccala, the esteemed Hume clinical support officer and revered Ambulance Service Medal recipient, hung up his Ambulance Victoria uniform.
March 5
After 27 years, the Sacred Heart College, which later became St Mary’s, Class of 1968 came together for a special reunion at the Seymour Club.
Prep students from across the region began their schooling journeys.
March 12
Despite a wet start to the day, the annual Seymour Show ’n’ Shine dazzled attendees thanks to the Lions Club of Seymour Goulburn.
In the first round of Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield finals, the Nagambie Lakers defeated the Katandra Eagles, sending them into week two with full confidence.
March 19
The 2025 Black Dog Ride started and finished at the Royal Hotel on Emily St, with 140 riders coming together to honour those lost, start conversations and break the silence of suicide.
Tallarook and Yea secured the top spots to face off in the Seymour District Association A-grade final.
March 26
Seymour local Sarah Barnbrook addressed the threats of AI on a global stage by co-facilitating a workshop during the 69th session of the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
Seymour Health received a donation of over $20,000 from the Remember Me Day committee for its Lower Hume Palliative Care team.
April 2
A Memory In Light, a podcast touching on the history of the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk, which was scripted and produced by journalist Fiona Gruber on behalf of Glaas Inc, was launched at the Seymour RSL sub-branch.
Longwood Football Netball Club announced that AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon would visit the home of the Redlegs as a special guest at the team’s annual President’s Luncheon.
April 9
The 34th annual Seymour Expo was an overwhelming success, with Kings Park filled by food trucks, camel rides, CFA displays, agricultural exhibits and much more.
Footy and netball returned, and Seymour’s A-grade netball side was off to the best possible start with a victory over Rochester in round one of the Goulburn Valley League season, under the guidance of new coach Casey Adamson.
April 16
The Seymour-grown Lynch family returned to Seymour to view their brick at the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk, with patriarch Brendan having served alongside three of his siblings in the Vietnam War.
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell pledged $500,000 as an election promise to improve the facilities of Kings Park Reserve’s back oval.
April 23
The Seymour-Avenel Rd bridge reopened to traffic, signifying the conclusion of Tranche 1 of Inland Rail’s Beveridge to Albury project.
While the Lions footballers suffered their third-straight loss to open the season, falling by 44 points to a strong Mansfield, the A-grade netballers notched their third win.
April 30
A crowd of about 500 gathered at the Seymour Memorial Hospital Gates for the town’s Anzac Day service, led by Seymour RSL sub-branch president Matt McLaughlin.
The Lions footballers recorded their first victory of the 2025 campaign over Euroa.
May 7
Sam Birrell comfortably retained the seat of Nicholls in the 2025 federal election.
The Nagambie Lakers and Avenel Swans went head-to-head in football, with Nagambie victorious at Avenel Recreation Reserve.
May 14
Nearly 320 people came together in Kings Park for the Mother’s Day Classic, all in support of cancer research.
Sarah’s Day honoured the late Sarah Locke, whose contributions to Seymour are remembered each year with a high tea and fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Network Australia, which this year received $11,000 from the day.
May 21
The Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund passed in parliament as law, despite the opposition of locals such as state Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland, who said, “every single Victorian who pays rates will be hit by this cruel tax”.
Round seven of the Goulburn Valley League football season saw Shepparton host Seymour at Deakin Reserve, leading to a Lions victory against the Bears.
May 28
Volunteer Week was celebrated, with local volunteer Becky Brookfield, who spends her spare time visiting the residents of Barrabill House, saying, “I’ve enjoyed (volunteering) so much that I’ve actually left my job and am pursuing a career in aged care.”
St Mary’s College’s Year 12 captains Cooper Shearer and Sophie Munro were excited to lead, being the first of their kind in more than three decades with Year 12 returning to the college this year.
June 4
The Seymour and District University of the Third Age cut the cake on 20 years with one of its many events held throughout the year to celebrate its second decade in town.
Local rail users expressed their concerns about the Seymour train line, with Clonbinane resident Samantha McCormack saying she experienced delays and cancellations due to what she suspected was a lack of carriages.
June 11
A more than four-decade-long commitment saw former Seymour Fire Brigade deputy group officer Colin Brown recognised in the King’s Birthday honours list.
The Seymour Lions roared their way into the top six of the Goulburn Valley League seniors after defeating Benalla.
June 18
The Kirwans Bridge community expressed concerns about the future of the bridge, which has been closed to all traffic since the October 2022 floods, after a funding promise by the Coalition fell through after it didn’t form government following the 2025 federal election.
Seymour flew high in the Goulburn Valley League A-grade netball competition, after claiming yet another big win against Rochester.
June 25
Local Coles team member Jamie Gobbons’ family travelled to Seymour from Wagga Wagga to watch him face the cold in the Coles Seymour ice bucket challenge, where Jamie was dunked in ice to support his mother, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2024.
Leon Baker and Ian ‘Bluey’ Shelton from Avenel were chosen to represent Essendon Football Club’s all-time country best 18.