50 years ago June 1975

Flats for aged persons could be made available in the next few months at the rear or side yard of existing houses in Echuca.

This is in cases where the occupiers of the home wished to house their parents close to them.

The community development officer for the Loddon Campaspe Regional Council of Social Development, Mr Tom Parsons, said he had been advised of this by the Housing Commission.

The Housing Commission may hire one of these flats to the owner of the main house who requires accommodation for his father and mother or father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Couples will be entitled, not lone people, and both must be in receipt of an age pension or repatriation pension.

***

Echuca Apex Club held its 700th dinner at the Hopwood Motor Inn in Echuca last Friday night.

The special guest speaker was United States Consul General, Mr Robert Brand, who journeyed with his wife from Melbourne for the occasion.

The dinner was attended by 102 Apexians, guests and wives.

Life membership was bestowed on Echuca Apexians Barry Beehag and Mac Spring, at the dinner.

***

Authorities yesterday warned of strong action to enforce regulations governing crayfishing.

Crayfishermen are expected to be out in force this year. During the last two years, a high Murray River has deterred fishermen.

An inspector with the NSW State Fisheries at Deniliquin, Mr John Dean, warned that anyone attempting to take crayfish from the Murray River must be the holder of a current NSW fishing licence.

No person was permitted to use, lift or have in his possession more than five hoop nets or one trap at any time.

Mr Dean said the net and trap were the only prescribed methods for taking of crayfish.

25 years ago June 2000

The Southern 80 ski race parade and static display of boats could be abandoned if police have their way.

Moama Water Sports Club has been told that extra police would be required to patrol the traditional Saturday morning event next February.

This is expected to increase the total cost of the additional police patrols for the Southern 80 to about $15-20,000.

Such an expense must be paid by the organiser under Victoria Police’s ‘’user pays’’ arrangement.

It generally costs the club about $8000 to provide extra police for the weekend.

***

Echuca Secondary College has 10 Year 11 girls involved in a program called ‘’Fit to Lead’’.

The program aims to enhance women’s health, self-esteem and leadership skills through physical activity.

The program was established by experts in 1997 in response to gender and equity issues associated with participation in physical activity.

Echuca Secondary College has implemented the program in recognition of such issues and strongly encourages and supports girls in leading physically-active lifestyles.

The girls involved are enthusiastic about the initiative and will be involved in many activities themselves as well as visiting local primary schools to lead younger students in physical activity sessions which they have designed.

***

It was a short walk, across the bridge between Echuca and Moama.

But those who took part in the march on Saturday afternoon took the local reconciliation process a long way forward.

Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians met as equals and ‘’walked the talk’’ as speaker Graham Atkinson later urged all people wanting reconciliation to do.

‘’It’s time to stop talking and get fair dinkum’’ Mr Atkinson said.

‘’You have to get out of your comfort zones if you want to change things... In Echuca the reconciliation process has only been in train a number of years; this is only the beginning.’’

He asked whether those who were not at the walk wanted to go forward or back 20 years, when groups were separate and did not trust each other.

10 years ago

June 2015

Damien Stevens has often heard St Paul’s words ‘‘love is patient, love is kind’’ read out at weddings.

They are words he lives in hope of using at his own wedding — to his husband.

Mr Stevens is gay and is pinning his hopes on the groundswell of public and political opinion to overturn Australia’s existing marriage laws to include same-sex couples.

For the past 10 years, Mr Stevens has been a part of GV Pride, a support group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in the region.

While the group gathered to celebrate its 10th birthday at the weekend, Australia’s politicians were still debating marriage equality.

Many in Canberra are opposed to marriage equality, while others remain undecided as Opposition Leader Bill Shorten introduced a private member’s bill for marriage equality into parliament.

***

Campaspe and Murray shires town crier Judy Campbell is preparing for world domination after picking up four awards at the recent Australian town crier championships.

The Tongala resident won champion of champions, best content of cry, ambassadorial award and town crier award for service to the Australian Guild at last week’s championships in Parkes, NSW.

‘‘It means I’ve got trophies for a lifetime that I can hand down to the generations,’’ Ms Campbell said.

The only female competitor, Ms Campbell performed a host cry with the theme of Sir Henry Parkes and a home cry about Echuca-Moama, with judges’ feedback including ‘‘of regal bearing’’ and ‘‘raised echoes’’.

The 2010 Australian champion will now compete against 25 town criers at the World Invitational Town Criers Tournament in New Zealand in September.

***

Deniliquin police acting inspector Trent Swinton is hoping to make some drug arrests in the Moama district in the wake of the latest ice reporting campaign in that state.

NSW Police and Crime Stoppers last week launched the ‘Your call can make a difference’ advertising campaign, which identifies the critical role the community plays in helping police shut down drug supply syndicates.

Acting Insp Swinton said although the ice scourge was a lot worse in other areas, there clearly had been an increase in the use of ice, and corresponding number of drug detections, in the Moama and Deniliquin areas.

‘‘It can certainly be said there are drug dealers within the Moama and Deniliquin areas, and we know drugs are being couriered along these road networks,’’ he said.

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