50 years ago, January 1976
After 45 years of service the Kyabram to Echuca school train is to be discontinued.
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The Member for Northern Province, Mr Stuart McDonald, MLC, said this week he had been told by the Minister for Transport, Mr Meagher, that the service would be replaced
From the start of this school year students who normally use the train will travel to school in buses.
The train was originally introduced to replace buses, which were unable to negotiate many roads during the winter months, and now, after nearly half a century, the train is to be replaced by buses.
Up to 130 students from Echuca Technical School, Echuca High School and St Joseph's College use the train each day.
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In the sporting arena many people lay claim to all types of achievements, but not many can match that of Mr Harold Ogden, of Echuca.
Mr Ogden, nearly 77, of High St, has been involved with racing horses for more than 60 years.
What his attitude to racing was early in the 20th century is not known, but now he is so full of enthusiasm he looks fit to bust.
For many outsiders Mr Ogden's sporting achievements reached their peak on Saturday night when his pacer Truant Armagh, won the $53,000 A.G. Hunter Cup at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds.
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Throughout history people have continually sought a better means of transport and last week a St Arnaud man visited Echuca with two restored ‘’methods’’.
Mr Howard Burrage brought to Echuca a penny farthing bicycle about 100 years old and a tricycle that he believes to be about 80 years old.
Both ‘bikes’ have been restored to original condition by Mr Burrage.
Mr Burrage visited Echuca to visit friends Mr and Mrs Jim Dickson, of High St, and to show the restored penny farthing to Mrs Murphy who owned the EIm Tree Antique shop in High St.
25 years ago, January 2001
Seven-year-old gelding El Cordobes won Saturday's Teangi Stockfeeds Gunbower Gold Cup, but it was veteran race-caller Jack Styring who stole the show.
Styring, 71, received warm applause from the large crowd as he made his way from the commentary box after calling his world record 50th Gunbower Cup.
Pursued by three TV stations throughout the day, Styring was busier out of the commentary box then in it.
However, he still had time to announce that El Cordobes was a comfortable two-length winner of the Gunbower Gold Cup.
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An expected overload of Echuca's sewerage system during tomato processing season will force the saleyards’ truckwash to be disconnected from the sewer.
The saleyards are due to be connected to the sewerage system later this week, but with Cedenco planning to start processing tomatoes on January 17, alternatives will have to found for the saleyards for up to two months.
Residents who live near the saleyards fear they will have to put up with foul smelling odours while the risk of sewerage system overload persists.
Coliban Water marketing and public relations manager Carolyn Stanford said Campaspe Shire Council asked if it could connect the saleyards to the system in December.
‘’Due to the late notice and load on the system in tomato season, we asked them to disconnect for the season,’’ Ms Stanford said.
‘’The pipes can’t handle the load of the tomato season and the truckwash.’’
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A 1970 XW Falcon does not sound like a speed-machine, but in the hands of Steven Paten and Chris Oliver, one of them has become a fully registered street car.
Generally people race 350 Chevys in this type of racing; however, Oliver and Paten race the Ford.
“Our Ford has a 378 Cleveland motor,” Paten said.
“The car, when ready to race — including the driver — weighs 3500 kilos.”
Oliver and Paten are preparing to race at Calder later this year.
“It is an ambition to get the car to run a good time at Calder Park Raceway,” Paten said.
“Our car covers the quarter mile in 11.69 seconds.”
10 years ago, January 2016
Anyone in Echuca-Moama with a Dick Smith voucher or a lay-by will have to deal with plenty of disappointment this week.
Dick Smith — one of Australia’s largest electrical retailers — was placed in receivership on Tuesday, following the appointment of voluntary administrators.
The Echuca store in Annesley St remains open and it is uncertain when or if it will close.
For now employees will be paid and receivers say it will be ‘‘business as usual’’ while they look at the restructuring and opportunities for the group.
Ferrier Hodgson partners James Stewart, Jim Sarantinos and Ryan Eagle have been appointed receivers and managers over a number of associated entities.
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To Echuca-Moama Triathlon Club, Steve Gray is heritage personified.
But after steering the annual Echuca-Moama Triathlon — the 18th of which is due to be run next weekend — through most of its history, Gray has stepped aside as race director to be replaced by Kelley Walker.
How much has changed since it began in 1999?
‘‘Probably the size of the event and diversity,’’ Gray said during the week at Moama’s pool, where the club organised a training session.
The original edition saw maybe no more than 50 competitors entered. This year it should be 400-plus.
Gray wasn’t surprised with the event’s success or sustainability, either.
‘‘Back in the 1980s it was niche and now it’s real bucket list stuff and one of the fastest growing sports,’’ he said.
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Echuca-Moama pharmacists have warned a new prescription medicine discount might not be as good as it sounds.
Among changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the new year is the option for pharmacists to discount the PBS patient co-payment by up to $1.
It is not mandatory but the move is set to save the Federal Government more than $300 million — with pharmacists asked to foot the bill instead.
The pensioner price for prescriptions rose to $6.20 in line with inflation on January 1 but chemists have the option to sell the medicine for $5.20 per script.
The price of a subsidised script is now $38.30 for general consumers with an option at some pharmacies to pay $37.30.