News
Coalition stance costs local jobs
WESTERN Victorians are being denied employment opportunities because of the Morrison Government’s blasé stance on renewable energy suggests Gilbert Wilson, ALP candidate for Wannon.
Mr Wilson said the renewable energy sector has so much unrealised employment opportunities, yet it is an industry shunned by the Liberals and Nationals.
“I’m not talking about hundreds of jobs potentially, I’m talking thousands of good secure Australian jobs going by the way side because of our Federal Government’s lack of support or interest in clean energy,” Mr Wilson said.
Last Freedom of Entry for HMAS Ararat
WITH the imminent decommissioning of navy ship HMAS Ararat II, Ararat Rural City will host a historic Departing Freedom of Entry parade through Ararat CBD for the HMAS crew on Saturday, 7 May 2022.
Based in Darwin, HMAS Ararat II was commissioned on 10 November 2006 and has been involved in border protection duties along Australia’s northern coastline.
There are no plans at this stage for a future ship to carry the Ararat name.
The ship has a crew of 22 who will all be in Ararat for the occasion.
Memorial unveiled
CLOSE to a hundred people attended the official unveiling of a new memorial at Dobie on Sunday to honour soldiers from the First World War.
The memorial is the work of a small committee of volunteers, who’ve worked tirelessly over recent months transforming the Dobie Highway Park.
The volunteers secured $6,000 funding from Ararat RSL and Pacific Hydro to erect a memorial stone containing the names of 24 soldiers who served in the First World War, as well as landscaping, seating and an impressive entrance sign.
The memorial park replaces Dobie’s Avenue of Honour, which has been impacted by the duplication of the Western Highway.
ANZAC Day in Willaura
A large crowd attended ANZAC Day commemorations in Willaura, which began with a 9am Stand To at the Cenotaph.
Children from the Willaura Kindergarten and Willaura Primary School took part, and then the Hamilton Pipe Band led a march to the Memorial Hall for the service there.
Guest Speaker, Pam Cupper OAM, spoke movingly of the loss of young men on the World War 1 battlefields.
She noted specifically the experiences of several from Willaura who enlisted, only to lose their lives in Gallipoli and France, and remain forever buried in unmarked graves.
ANZAC Day at Lake Bolac
A large gathering of about 100 people attended the ANZAC Day commemoration activities at Lake Bolac.
Friends of the Lake Bolac RSL President, Gerard Morrissey, welcomed the crowd and conducted a flag ceremony, Last Post and invitation to the community to lay wreaths in respect of those who sacrificed their lives and livelihoods during war.
The group then moved to the unveiling of the new Cowaugh Estate memorial bluestone plaque in honour of the 12 WWI Soldier Settlers of the Lake Bolac district.
Torchlight parade to celebrate Ararat fire station
A once-in-a-lifetime torchlight parade to celebrate the opening of the new Ararat Fire Station will be held next weekend.
On Saturday the 7th of May, Ararat Fire Brigade will be hosting an open day in the morning from 10am – 2pm. It will include a tour of the new facilities, vehicles on display, demonstrations by the Ararat Junior Fire Brigade, a CFA safety session, free barbeque and information for people wanting to volunteer.
The torchlight processions will follow that evening from 6.30pm, starting from Barkly Street near the post office, down to the cinema, then via Queen Street, Moore Street and Tuson Street, finishing at the fire station.
Surrounding streets will be closed off for the procession.
Diamonds all round
THREE remarkable Ararat couples this week celebrated something quite remarkable.
Lawrie And Val Tonkin, Kaye and Mervyn Fox and Joy and Max Cronin all celebrated their 60th (diamond) wedding anniversaries, which Mayor Jo Armstrong said was an event worth celebrating.
“To have one couple celebrate their 60th anniversary is quite special, but three couples in the one week is really quite extraordinary,” Cr Armstrong said.
Kaye and Mervyn Fox and Joy and Max Cronin were married on the 14th of April, 1962, while Lawrie and Val Tonkin married on the 21st of April, 1962.
Strong local support for RCH
Communities across Ararat Rural City have again thrown their support behind the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, raising over $50,000.
In Ararat, CFA volunteers and dozens of local children scoured local streets on Good Friday, collecting $10,102.
A further $4,235 was collected at the traffic lights and more than $1,000 was raised at a concert two weeks ago at the RSL.
Coupled with collection tins (also known as Wellbys), individual fundraisers by groups like Ararat Motorcycle Club and direct pledges to the Good Friday Appeal hotline, Ararat’s grand total was $36,506.
In Willaura, approximately $11,000 has been raised for this year’s appeal.
The Pomonal community raised a staggering $35,000 – mostly from a classic car show.