Articles by Craig Wilson
Extra weekend trains in 2025
MEMBER for Ripon Martha Haylett remains confident extra weekend train services will be delivered for the Ararat line in 2025.
The Victorian Government has confirmed planning has begun for additional weekend train services to Ararat and Beaufort.
In the 2023 state budget, the government announced two additional weekend services on Saturday and Sunday.
It means Ararat and Beaufort will have five services to and from Melbourne each day of the week.
Council rejects water extension
PYRENEES Shire Council has rejected an application from the Beaufort Golf Club to extend an agreement to pump water from the Beaufort Lake to maintain its greens.
Council met recently to consider whether to renew an expired agreement for use of water from Beaufort Lake for Beaufort Golf Course for an additional period of one year.
Council entered into a ten year agreement with the club in 2014 for the irrigation use of water from the Beaufort Lake.
Since the 2014 agreement, several sporting clubs including the Beaufort Golf Club now receive recycled water from the Beaufort Treatment Plant.
However council officers were notified that the club is currently unable to pump water from their recycled storage tanks due to a power connection issue, hence the request for the use of “emergency” irrigation water from the Beaufort Lake.
Planning underway for bridge renewal
PYRENEES Shire Council is in the process of planning an upgrade of an access bridge leading to Landsborough Primary School.
A petition was presented to November’s council meeting seeking urgent repairs to the McKinlay Street bridge.
The November meeting was informed of the planned works to repair the McKinlay Street Bridge.
Council Officers had previously identified the McKinlay Street Bridge guardrail improvements as part of its regular condition surveys and further damage was caused by a vehicle breaking through the existing guardrail.
Upgrade in 2025 for killer intersection
A dangerous intersection on the Glenelg Highway will soon see improvements to slow down traffic.
The intersection of the highway with the Eurambeen-Streatham Road at Streatham has long been regarded as dangerous with several accidents and a recent fatality.
A woman died after a crash at the intersection in October.
A government spokesperson confirmed to the Advocate there have been eight recorded crashes at the intersection in the ten years between mid-2014 and mid-2024.
October’s crash takes the number of fatalities to two.
Roads emerge as top issue in 16,000+ km listening tour
INDEPENDENT candidate for Wannon Alex Dyson said the terrible state of rural and regional roads has emerged as the top priority for voters across the electorate.
Over the last six months, Mr Dyson has clocked more than 16,000 kilometres across the Wannon electorate, which stretches from the outskirts on Ballarat and Geelong to the South Australian border.
“This included 108 meetings, 19 meet the candidate events, 545 survey responses, and too many country bakery meat pies to count,” he said.
“Roads, childcare, and getting a better deal from supermarkets, energy companies and Canberra were all issues people consistently brought up.
“But so was housing. So was climate. So was health and aged care.
Scorched
A fire crew from Stoneleigh had a lucky escape on Boxing Day when their truck was surrounded by flames as they were fighting fires near Willaura. Fortunately, all crew members escaped unscathed and their truck remained operational although somewhat scorched. The truck (pictured) has been taken out of service for repairs. Photo contributed.
Today’s edition 15th November, 2024
Your local Pyrenees Advocate is out today with a full wrap of local news, events and sport. This week we introduce our new mayor and councillors, we report on Remembrance Day services across the district, fire destroys a Beaufort home, Natte Yallock Primary School celebrates 150 years, a cleanup at Waubra Recreation Reserve and the […]
State school mural restored
THE restored Carranballac State School (1841-1978) mural was unveiled last weekend at the Carranballac Hall.
Elaine Anderson (Graham), a former student of the former school on the Glenelg Highway, spearheaded the reconstruction of the 1964 mural, which had been created by students to commemorate the school’s 50th anniversary.
Years of wear and tear had left the piece in desperate need of repair.
Past students, teachers, and locals gathered at Carranballac Hall for the unveiling, including Carranballac’s oldest living former student, Harry Waldron, and Mary Forsyth, the original creator of the mural and a former teacher at the school.
Hazelie calls it a day
HAZELIE Robinson has been an integral part of Avoca’s Blue Pyrenees Estate for over 45 years and has seen many changes within the business.
Hazelie is the vineyard’s “go to” person. She has an enormous wealth of knowledge in all facets of the business.
Hazelie has worked in the vineyard, production, laboratory and now in the office as the export and invoice administrator.
Safer Places approved by council
PYRENEES Shire Council has conducted a review of its Neighbourhood Safer Places and has confirmed a number of locations across the Shire. Under the Country Fire Authority Act, councils must conduct a review of each designated Neighbourhood Safer Place to determine if it is still suitable. In conducting the annual review, council asked the CFA […]