50 years ago January 1976

There's a new face providing NRMA service at Moama — Mr Graham Trist — who has taken over the Amoco service station there.

NRMA is the New South Wales equivalent of the RACV.

Anyone wishing to join may obtain information on the NRMA at Graham's service station.

Services provided for a member include a 24-hour road service and insurance for both car and household.

Graham Trist will be on call 24 hours a day to any member who requires service. He provides the NRMA services between Moama and Deniliquin.

He will be assisted in office work by his fiancee Maria Fairbrother.

***

A 260-signature petition has failed to change Murray Shire Council's mind about lifting its 1976 rates by 17 per cent.

At its latest meeting council rejected a move to reconsider its estimates for the year, and confirmed its December decision to increase the rates.

The move for a fresh look at the estimates came after council had received a five-man deputation which presented a petition asking for the rates to be kept at the 1975 level.

The deputation was appointed by a public meeting held on January 16 and convened by the Murray Shire Ratepayers Association.

***

A ready-to-roll price of $27,000 for the Case 1370 certainly seems like a lot of money, but the big red and white Agri King looks like a lot of tractor.

At that price Agri Kings are not bought by everyone — in fact, Davd Brown Tractors of Ogilvie Ave, Echuca, sold their first 1370 model only this week.

A Bamawm dairy farmer, Mr Doug King, took delivery of the tractor on Wednesday afternoon.

Besides dairy farming Mr King is also involved in agricultural contracting and will use the 1370 mainly for this type of work.

25 years ago January 2001

A tireless volunteer community driver and carer is this year's Murray Shire Citizen of the Year.

Moama resident Ian Sutherland, a retired fire brigade officer, volunteers his time with many organisations within the shire.

Murray Shire Mayor Brian Sharp said Ian was the rector's warden at St James Church in Moama and a member of the Moama Rural Fire Brigade.

‘’But it is in his capacity as a community volunteer driver and carer that he was nominated for this award,’’ Cr Sharp said.

Ian has been driving volunteers for some years, for Murray Shire Community Services Department, Neighbour Aid.

***

An Echuca man has been honoured with an Order of Australia Medal for his outstanding sporting and community involvement.

Russell Parsons, 57, was a school teacher in Ouyen for 30 years and was heavily involved in many aspects of the small community.

His medal is ‘’for service to youth, particularly as a coach of sporting and to the community of teams in Ouyen’’.

Semi-retired in Echuca for the past three years, Mr Parsons remains heavily involved with swimming coaching in the district and has taken several district teenagers with him to coach at a private school in India.

***

Rich River's Charlie Pavone was recently awarded an Australian Sports Medal.

Bowling for 35 years, Charlie began in the sport of lawn bowls due to a sporting injury, hurting his knee during a football match.

Deciding that he needed another sport to play that was not as physical, he chose lawn bowls.

My two brothers played bowls so I decided to give it a go, Charlie said.

‘’I was 22 when I started playing bowls, which in those days was very young.

‘’Some people gave me looks and were very cold towards me playing because of my age.’’

Charlie started playing at the Gunbower Bowling Club before moving into Echuca to play at City of Echuca Bowls Club.

10 years ago January 2016

The Local Government Inspectorate has found no evidence of wrongdoing in Campaspe Shire Council’s decision to name councillor Paul Jarman as the preferred candidate for the former Oscar W’s building.

Council released the inspectorate’s findings yesterday, after inviting it to investigate the expressions of interest process council took in September last year and August 2014.

Council first announced Oscar W’s owner Dean Oberin as the preferred candidate before finding an anomaly and announcing Cr Jarman as the ‘preferred’ applicant.

While the inspectorate said council did not commit an offence, it did slap it with criticism for employing an independent agent (Colliers) to complete the initial expressions process.

But the report from the inspectorate said councillors and council staff did not breach the Act and no further action would be taken.

***

She has produced three chart topping records, sold more than a million albums, won seven ARIA awards and stolen the hearts of thousands of Aussies.

In just 12 years on the airwaves.

Now Missy Higgins is riding into Echuca-Moama on the back of a new single; and armed with her acoustic guitar, will take the stage under the towering river red gums in Echuca’s best natural amphitheatre, next to the mighty Murray.

And believe it or not, headlining the fifth Riverboats Music Festival will bring her to the region for the first time.

***

After coming so close to the promised land last season, Leitchville-Gunbower has high hopes that 2016 could deliver a long awaited Heathcote District Football League premiership to the Bombers.

The Bombers won the minor premiership in 2015 but fell 10 points short of North Bendigo in the grand final.

LG coach Matt Hawken said the group had learnt from the past and was ready for another gruelling season.

‘‘We had a really good year last year, and there’s lots of improvement left in the young local boys,’’ Hawken said.

‘‘Most of the group has played in two prelims and a grand final in a row, and the reserves have played grand finals and so have the thirds so nearly everyone has that experience to draw on.’’

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