News

  • Holiday basketball tournament to raise Blue Light funds

    THE Blue Light Foundation is raising funds in the lead-up to summer to purchase an inflatable pool.
    The pool will be used for Blue Light events within the local Blue Light branch area, which includes Ararat and Lake Bolac, and covers towns as far as Speed in Victoria’s north-west, Sergeant Shane Allgood said.
    Ararat’s Community Opportunity Shop volunteers (pictured) also donated 1,000 dollars to go towards the inflatable pool, which will cost $35,000 to purchase.

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  • All-denominations choir planned for Ararat

    SINGING is good for the soul according to Anglican Priest Martin Nadarajan, who is working hard to return a non-denominational choir to Ararat.
    Father Nadarajan is hoping to attract people from different backgrounds, ages and denominations to join the soon to be established Trinity Choir.

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  • Algal bloom solution around the corner

    ARARAT Rural City Council hopes algal blooms in Alexandra Lake will soon be a thing of the past with several aerators to be installed in coming weeks.
    Council CEO Tim Harrison said three new aerators have arrived at council’s depot and will soon be installed at the lake.

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  • Ladies in Black debuts

    Lines have been memorised, the costumes are complete, and the cast and crew at Ararat Musical Comedy Society are now in full swing with their new production Ladies in Black
    The 2022 production of the Australian musical ‘Ladies in Black’ focuses on life in the 1950s in Australia.
    Set in Sydney, Ladies in Black is a coming of age story of a young intelligent bookworm Lisa Miles (Abbey Rigby) embarking on a summer job at fashionable Sydney department store F G Goodes.
    The show runs through to the 26th of June. Book through the Ararat Town Hall website.

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  • Cold winter places strain on Ararat charity

    THE rising cost of groceries, fresh produce and fuel is placing additional strain on the resources of one local charity.
    Ararat Emergency Relief Committee is made up of five local churches working to provide food and assistance for people doing it tough.
    As the temperature has dropped, the committee has seen a noticeable increase in the number of people seeking help, especially families.

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  • At last, some movement on the fountain

    SINCE arriving at Ararat Rural City Council, CEO Tim Harrison admits one of his greatest frustrations has been lack of progress on the restorations of the town’s historic fountain.
    Work on plumbing and wiring was completed over two years ago, but the contractor charged with carrying out the restoration disappeared during the pandemic and hasn’t resurfaced.
    All that’s needed for the project to be completed is a cherub and some orbs.
    Dr Harrison told the Advocate this week, there is finally some good news, with a new contractor has been sourced to carry out the remaining work.

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  • Blue vanilla slice raises $3,601 for MND

    WILLAURA baker Peter Sporton set himself a challenge last week to raise $1,000 for motor neurone disease through the sale of blue vanilla slices.
    The response was overwhelming according to Peter, with just over $3,600 going to FightMND.

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  • Rhonda Waterson and Wendy Smart – Ararat’s ‘checkout chicks’

    WE’VE all been there. You’re grabbing some groceries and you want a fast yet courteous experience at the checkout, and you certainly don’t want to muck about with that new-fangled self-service contraption.
    Ah, thank goodness, you think. There’s that nice lady on Express.
    Chances are, said nice lady is either Rhonda Waterston or Wendy Smart, two stalwart ‘checkout chicks’ who have been at Woolworths for 34 years. Back when it was Safeway. Yep, that long. And they tell me they are never late for a shift.

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