50 years ago
March 1974
Mr Michael Clarke, MLC for Northern Province, said he was becoming increasingly disturbed at the hostile attitude of the Federal Government to the farming community.
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Amendments to the Income Tax Assessment Act have slashed depreciation allowances, the dairy subsidy is being phased out and the superphosphate bounty may be abolished on December 31.
Mr Clarke said that surveys have shown that this bounty has had the effect of reducing fertiliser costs to primary producers by 30 per cent.
The end of the bounty would probably more than double the price of superphosphate, for Australia faces steep increases in phosphate rock prices overseas.
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People who make a donation to the annual Red Cross March Appeal make a vital contribution towards the improved health and greater happiness of people everywhere, according to Mrs Mary Shanahan of the Rochester branch.
This month, said Mrs Shanahan, Red Cross in Victoria urgently needed $800,000 to guarantee the effectiveness of all of its many services.
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Two of the major country football leagues are using new points systems to encourage all teams whether weak or strong to play every match right out to the finish.
The Hampden League recently decided to introduce for a trial period of one season a new points system suggested by FVL finance manager Mr Ralph Lane, which is very simple yet could be most effective.
The Lane proposal is that six points be given for a win, four for a draw, three for a loss by less than six points, two for a loss by less than 12 points, and one for a loss by less than 24 points.
The Lane proposal is based on the feeling that players often relax under the present system when they know they have no chance of winning.
25 years ago
March 1999
Lack of public interest in Campaspe Shire Council meetings has led to a decision by councillors to hold their fortnightly meetings in Echuca and not to rotate them each month around the shire.
The motion to meet twice monthly in Echuca and visit other towns in the municipality on the afternoon of the fourth Thursday of each month to consult with residents was passed at Thursday’s council meeting.
The issue of continuing meetings in the present format, where monthly meetings were rotated around Echuca, Rochester, Kyabram, Tongala and Rushworth, with the mid-month meeting held in Echuca, was discussed at the recent combined Citizens Advisory Group meeting held in Rochester.
Shire chief executive Phil Pearce explained to the groups the idea of holding all council meetings in Echuca had stemmed from the lack of public gallery at council meetings.
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It was original soldier settler Bill Jasper who saw the need to have the Burnewang Soldier Settlement, bordering the Campaspe River between Elmore and Rochester, recognised while some of the pioneers were still living.
It was he who first approached Greater Bendigo City Council to have some form of recognition of the site and he, along with descendants and wives of other original settlers, who witnessed on Sunday the unveiling of a plaque mounted on a large piece of rock outside the Ledgerwood property on Burnewang Rd to permanently mark the settlement of seven properties, each with Campaspe River frontage, that made up the estate.
For Mr Jasper, the unveiling was an extremely happy moment.
“I haven’t been too well and haven’t been able to do much since I first went to Greater Bendigo for some help. But others have got in and done some work to get it (the marker) here,” he said.
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“Tickled pink” is how June Major described the recent presentation of a National Service medal in recognition of her service to the Rochester State Emergency Service.
June has been involved with the SES for over 15 years, though she can’t recall exactly how long it is since she first began looking after the service’s books.
“It happened many years ago and I just kept it up,’’ she said.
Her involvement began through her husband, Ken, an SES member.
June not only kept the books but has often done stints in the radio room and taken food to the crew when they’ve been out on a job.
10 years ago
March 18, 2014
Paranormal investigators and an ABC documentary crew spent the night at the Rochester Hotel earlier this month.
Shepparton paranormal investigator Chris Kaarma saw Campaspe News’ story along with the hotel’s CCTV footage of a mysterious moving bottle and wanted to prove it was not a hoax.
He thought it was a set-up until he got there and tried 200 ways the bottle could have travelled several centimetres across the counter before falling off, on two occasions.
•••
Rochester Secondary College’s Georgina Schroen was one of six Victorian winners of a national writing competition.
Her schoolmate Kirsty Evans was a finalist in the competition.
Competition facilitator Sarah Blinco described both students as “very talented”.
She was excited and in disbelief about the win.
The subject of the story was ‘Inspire’, and Georgina found inspiration close to home.
She interviewed her home economics teacher, Heather Watson, about a recent school trip to Cambodia.
•••
Research into the existence of the endangered squirrel glider in the Strathallan area is to start next month.
A small colony of the endangered glider was found on a Strathallan property following a Department of Sustainability and Environment report in 2009.
In recent years, good anecdotal evidence was gathered and discussed at Strathallan Family Landcare group meetings.
The group successfully applied to Campaspe Shire Council for funding for a further report.
Campaspe News