2015

Calls to fight fly

The challenge has been laid: Kyabram must get serious about fighting fruit fly.

Orchardist Lynton Greenwood has called on the first to tackle the problem of Queensland fruit fly after he saw an explosion in fruit fly numbers during the past two fruit seasons.

“It’s been like a tidal wave sweeping through the valley,” he said.

Mr Greenwood, who operates an 80.9-hectare pesticide-free orchard outside Merrigum said commercially he believed the industry was now under serious threat, a view supported by the National Fruit Fly Research, Development and Extension Plan (RD and E Plan) launched on June 23.

“The GV has a reputation theoretically of being free of fruit fly, and that is under threat and has serious implications.”

***

Chamber in danger of folding

Kyabram Chamber of Commerce is in crisis.

When the organisation held its annual general meeting last Tuesday evening, it was unable to fill tow key positions.

With outdoing president Debi Kitt standing down from the role, the position is still vacant.

While the position of paid secretary-treasurer was filled, the role of vice-president was also left unfilled.

Another annual general meeting is set down for next Tuesday, but Ms Kitt is concerned that if no interest was shown, it could mean the end of Kyabram’s chamber.

***

Sticking it to them,

Don’t get yourself caught between Shae Oliver and the hockey nets.

Because this girl has a mean stick – and one that has helped her into the Victorian under-13 girls (white) hockey side.

Shae, 13, will travel to Sydney next month for the Australian Junior Hockey Championships and to say she is excited would be an understatement.

The Kyabram-Echuca River Rats hockey star and preferential centre-half said being named in the state side was a lengthy process and one that required a lot of return trips to Melbourne.

But it is worth all the hours spent in the family car.

“I grew up around a hockey field, and I just love the sport because it’s fun and I enjoy playing it.”

1995

French lessons on the free list in Ky

My high school French was recently put to the test when chatting to three young French girls who have been staying with Kyabram families while visiting Australia.

Trying to keep up with their discussion of how to answer my questions, I tried to grasp what they were saying but found the help of French student Lucy and teacher Marianne Francis a bonus.

The group was also joined by Corinne LePaux, who is the French assistant in this region.

When I asked the girls what they thought of our food, particularly the well-known Australian icon Vegemite, they all quickly responded with shakes of the head and hands and cried “yuck”.

While in Australia, the girls visited many places each, with some of their destinations including Central Australia Ballarat, Bendigo, the Great Ocean Road, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

***

VP Day memories

Two old RSL mates remember back 50 years to August 15, 1945, when it was announced the world was no longer at war.

John Angus (Dick) Stephenson VX79448 served from 1942 until late 1944 firstly as a trooper in the 2/8 Armoured Regiment, then as an Engineer or Sapper in the islands of New Guinea.

As the time that victory was declared in the Pacific, Dick was back home and running the family dairy farm, and even though the war had been over for him for some time, felt relief that so many would soon be home too.

Keith Livingston enlisted at the age of 17, and after initial training, was selected to train as a pilot.

He was sent off to Bairnsdale where he was to complete nine months of intensive training and was waiting to be posted out when the news came that it was all over.

He and Dick and many others have a special bond of which perhaps this writer’s generation will never understand, but indeed can appreciate and say thank you.

***

Brilliant Bulldogs

Paul Hawke is going to hate me for saying this … baring a spate of injuries or a wet day, Tatura has the GVL flag in the bag.

What other decision could you arrive at after watching Hawkes super slick Bulldog unit wipe the deck with Kyabram at Kyabram on Sunday?

Premiership favouritism was what the two sides were playing for in a lot of critic’s option.

Tatura showed it is now odds on to end the premiership drought which has lasted over double the 20 years Kyabram fans have waited for a flag.

Let’s be honest: Tatura gave the Bombers a lesson in nearly every facet of the game.

1975

UFO mystery solved?

The big UFO mystery appears to have been solved.

And it apparently has been the planet Venus, commonly known as the Evening Star, which has been causing all the excitement in the past month or so.

Several Kyabram residents who spotted what they thought was a UFO last week have since confirmed that what they actually saw was the planet Venus.

Mr Alan Needs of Dawes Rd and Mr and Mrs Alan Reeves of McEwen Rd were among several people who thought Venus was a UFO.

Mr and Mrs Reeves who spotted the ‘UFO’ on two occasions last week made the discovery that it was in fact Venus when they visited Mrs Reeves’ parents Mr and Mrs Clifford Wilson in Melbourne at the weekend.

***

Mini pop festival for Ky

Can Kyabram conduct a miniature ‘Sunbury Pop Festival’?

The answer to that question lies in the reaction of Kyabram’s younger generation to the proposal of conducting a pop festival in conjunction with next year’s centenary celebrations.

Secretary-co-ordinator of the centenary celebrations, Mrs Norma Bear told the Free Press she had been contacted by a group of young people with the idea of running a pop festival.

Mrs Bear said the idea was a good one, but it would certainly depend on the reaction of pop fans before it could become a reality.

It is thought local bands could play at the festival, to be followed by district bands at a minimum cost, winding up with a big-name Melbourne band at night.

***

Wayne takes another title

Kyabram’s unbeatable squash champion Wayne Leppard won his fifth successive Kyabram Squash Club championship last Thursday night.

And Sue Crow continued her dominance of the local women’s squash scene when she collected her fourth championship in the past five years.

Leppard has not been beaten in the championships since they commenced in 1971.

Leppard, fighting off the effects of the flu, was surprised by the exuberant Gorr in the first two sets and a major upset appeared to be brewing.

But in typical dogged fashion, Leppard lifted his fame and wore down his tiring opponent in the next three sets to clinch the championship for the fifth successive time.

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