News
Council works to restore memorial
ARARAT’s Edith Cavell memorial has recently undergone a facelift after local residents complained of its “shabby” condition.
The memorial and reserve, located at the corner Barkly Street and Viewpoint Street, was erected by the Mothers Club of the State School Ararat in 1931.
It commemorates Edith Cavell , an English nurse who was executed by a German firing squad in Belgium on 12 October, 1915.
Local Police honour Grant
LEADING Senior Constable Grant Healey is the toast of the Ararat policing district after being awarded a valour medal from the Chief Commissioner.
As we reported in last week’s Ararat Advocate, Leading Senior Constable Healey is only the 352nd recipient of the Victoria Police Bravery Award since the force was established 169 years ago.
The award was for his selfless actions in 2019, when he entered a burning house in an attempt to save an elderly man.
Pomonal student makes district final
MARION College student Jayde McMurtrie has earnt his place in the Lions Australia V201 Youth of the Year District Final.
One of five students from across the region, Jayde made it to the district final after winning the Regional Final at Mortlake in March.
The Lions Australia Youth of the Year is a national competition that begins locally at club level and winners advance to competitions at regional, district, state and national levels.
Hero copper receives top honour
ELMHURST’s local policeman last week yesterday joined an exclusive group reserved for police officers who’ve demonstrated extreme bravery.
Leading Senior Constable Grant Healey became just the 352nd recipient of the Victoria Police Bravery Award in the 169 year history of the force.
The Advocate met up with Leading Senior Constable Healey recently to discuss his selfless actions to try and save an elderly man in 2019.
Council works to eliminate algal bloom
ARARAT Rural City Council has moved quickly to address an outbreak of blue green algae in Alexandra Lake.
In recent weeks, numerous complains have been made to council about the condition and smell of the lake following evaporation over the summer months and high nutrient load.
Council CEO Tim Harrison told the Ararat Advocate, a number of measures are being adopted to restore the lake to good health.
He said a council crew commenced excavation works around the lake last Friday to allow water to flow more freely.
Welcome Father Martin
AFTER a five year absence, Ararat’s Holy Trinity Anglican Church is celebrating the appointment of a new priest.
Father Martin Nadarajan was inducted at a ceremony last Thursday attended by the local congregation and clergy from across Western Victoria.
Father Nadarajan was first ordained as a deacon in 2017 and began as a non-stipendiary Assistant Curate at The Anglican Cathedral in Ballarat and Holy Trinity in Sebastopol.
He was ordained to the priesthood in 2019.
Father Nadarajan told the Advocate, he was keen to get members of the community back to the church.
Vaccination Clinic celebrates milestone
MARCH 19 marked the one year anniversary of East Grampians Health Service commencing COVID-19 vaccinations in Ararat.
In that time, EGHS has administered 25,000 vaccination doses – at the EGHS Community Vaccination Clinic in Pyrenees House Ararat, and at pop up clinics across the region. EGHS has offered all forms of COVID-19 vaccination, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax.
EGHS chief executive Nick Bush said the health service’s team of nurse immunisers and administration staff had welcomed thousands of adults and children to the clinics.
Gum San to open in April
VOLUNTEERS at Ararat’s Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre were busy at work when the Ararat Advocate called by last week.
The centre has been closed for two years due to the pandemic, but around a dozen people were actively cleaning and reorganising the centre last week.
It’s hoped public tours will commence on April the 7th.
Gum San President Henry Gunstone said the volunteers are eager to get things back on track.
“We’re going to try and open before Easter and we have another working bee this week which will bring us pretty close,” he said.