Birchip-Watchem Reflects on All of Us Have Reasons for Wanting Safer Roads

DONALD BIRCHIP Phone: 5497 1222 Phone: 5492 2735 Fax: 5497 1407 The Buloke Times Fax: 5492 2863 Email: Email: [email protected] birchipblc@ [email protected] Est. 1875 bigpond.com Published Tuesdays and Fridays PRICE (inc. G.S.T.) $2 PP331336/0000 1 Friday, August 6, 2021 For the Shire of Buloke, and the districts of Birchip, Charlton, Donald, St. Arnaud, Watchem and Wycheproof Postponed Round to Go Ahead: Who Will Win Respect Cups? The annual Respect Cup Round between Wycheproof-Narraport and Charlton will be played this weekend. Promoting respectful rela- receive a commemorative drivers of family violence. tionships and non-violence, medallion following their Data from the Crime the Respect Round is an ini- matches. Statistics Agency shows that tiative of the Wycheproof The Demons’ “A” grade violence against women is an Community Resource Cen- netballers will fight to hold on ongoing issue in the Buloke tre’s “A Mount of Prevention” to the cup for another year as Shire, with total family vio- project. they go up against a strong lence incidents in the year The cup round, which has Navies side, while Charlton’s ending 2020 increasing by been postponed since June senior hockey players hope to 49% on the previous year. due to the COVID-19 lock- secure the cup again in 2021. Furthermore, there were down, will not include an Presentation 157 offences recorded by evening program, due to The Respect Round local police of breaching fam- Covid-19 restrictions, nor will evening program was to in- ily violence orders, 19 of it include the seniors footy, clude a presentation by Cul- those criminal incidents. unless restrictions on specta- goa Police Station’s Senior But the actual number of tors at community sport are Constable Annie Coobs, one offences is believed to be lifted in the interim. of Buloke’s many champions much higher, due to many Juniors and the senior net- for equality. victims being too fearful of ball and hockey clubs will Snr. Cst Coobs is passion- making a report against the play as normal, however, and ate about empowering com- perpetrator. the spectacular cups are once munity members to take a Trish Polglas, of the again up for grabs. All partic- stand against gender inequality, Mallee Domestic Violence • An off-duty Senior Constable Annie Coobs holds the Respect Cup after playing in ipating juniors will this year which is one of the key • Continued on page 2. the winning Wycheproof-Narraport “A” grade netball team in 2018. Buloke Shares Funding Boost Councils in the Mallee will receive more funding to help them prepare for and respond to emergencies thanks to a funding boost from the State Labor Government. An extra $1 million will be and co-ordination work to invested in the Municipal make sure communities are Emergency Resourcing Pro- well prepared and resilient. gram, taking the total funding The funding can be used for Victoria’s 64 rural, regional for a variety of emergency and outer-metropolitan coun- planning work, including edu- cils this financial year to $5.9 cation for culturally and lin- million. guistically diverse communities Member for Northern Vic- in at-risk areas. toria, Mark Gepp, this week Grants can also be used to welcomed the latest allocation ensure that emergency work and said that the councils will can be done in a COVIDSafe utilise the funding to make environment. sure its communities are as well-prepared and resilient as Responsibilities they can possibly be should Before, during and after the worst happen. emergencies, council respon- The LGAs include: sibilities include supporting • Swan Hill Rural City vulnerable people, running re- • Jed Coffey (left), Eligh Dean, Chloe Cross and Sadidas Gardiner Paikea with their trees. Council and Mildura Rural lief centres and enabling eco- City Council will share in nomic and social recovery, all $146,400. while ensuring that important • Buloke Shire Council will regular services continue to be It’s Time to Plant a Tree receive $73,200. provided. • Gannawarra Shire Coun- Friday, July 30, was School Tree Day. To celebrate this day, Birchip Landcare Group pro- cil will receive $73,200. Councils routinely use the vided a tree for all Birchip P-12 School Prep →Six students to plant. • Loddon Shire Council funding to appoint an emer- (and Central Goldfields Shire gency management specialist, School Tree Day is a day dedicated by schools, their staff National Tree Day is August 1, and is a “call to action’’ Council) will share in with some councils collaborat- and students to recognise and celebrate the importance of for all Australians to put their hands in the earth and give $146,400. ing with neighbouring coun- trees in our environment. back to their communities by planting a tree. • Yarriambiack Shire cils to fund a specialist Each year, about 300,000 people volunteer their time and Council, along with Horsham position across their areas. During the week a number of classes were also involved Rural City Council, Hind- in tasks to promote School Tree Day. engage in environmental activities that educate individuals about the world around them. It is a day to venture outdoors, marsh Shire Council, West Councils’ extensive local This day is part of the wider “National Tree Day’’ cele- get to know your community, have fun and, better still, plant Wimmera Shire Council will knowledge and close connec- bration. National Tree Day started back in 1996. It was co- a tree. share in $292,800. tion to communities makes founded by Planet Ark and Olivia Newton John. • Students Back Together — page 3. The program pays for them a vital part of Victoria’s planning, communication response to emergency events. feathered waist-bands, they danced all night around a Pascoe In Wonderland? big fire and played games during the day. Annually, up Although we still have not read the book, the con- to 600 met to hold corroborees on the Richardson River troversy created by “Dark Emu” has been followed flat, where the Goff Letts oval now sits. One old record with interest. Reputable historians and critics, led by FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2021 traces the name Watchem back to the Aboriginal name Professor Geoffrey Blainey, have alleged that there are for wattle. In another, rather more colourful version, an many fabrications in it, ranging from the author’s claim about early settlement, taking us back 150 years and Aboriginal man said: “Blackfella watchem cattle come to Aboriginal ancestry to the way of life he portrays for more. Early settlers recalled that “natives caused little for water, then spear em”. That was Anthony, last of his the first Australians. Apparently, Pascoe asserts that trouble . they let off steam on one another.” (Pascoe clan, after whom a street in Watchem was named. they were farmers and peace-loving urbanites, rather calls them peace-loving). If any of the tribe planned to than nomadic hunter-gatherers. cause harm, one leader would warn Mr Donald, who These old records tend to show that relations between These and many other myths have been challenged. made him (King Johnny) a name plate. Aboriginals came to work on the early stations. Nomadic numbers Aboriginals and early settlers in this region were cordial Does it matter? Well, yes it does. It is not so much the and productive. They paint a different picture to those fame and profits that Pascoe has claimed, but rather the were often seen in the Corack district, nomads on their way from the Western District to the Murray. in the “Dark Emu” fictions. The principles laid down questionable influence he has brought to bear on by the Press Council call for accuracy and avoidance academia, the judiciary, and the education world. It is of harm. The ABC has promoted Pascoe’s book in the minds of young students that matter. In 1866, about 200 Aboriginals gathered at Rich schools. Perhaps Aunty’s Investigation Unit, bent on In the search for truth and balance, the books “Past Avon West for a big corroboree. They came from the unveiling scandals, should take another look at “Dark and Present” and “Shanty at the Bridge” tell us stories Wimmera and Avon Rivers. With painted bodies and Emu”. Auction Goes Online Register Now for Charlton Football Club is currently conducting an online Goods and Services action, offering 146 lots for sale to buyers with a keen eye for a bargain. “Tomorrow Farmer” The auction went “live” track of bidding on the vari- last Thursday, and will con- ous lots. Good communication leads to farm success. BCG’s Tomorrow Farmer event, rescheduled to tinue until 10 p.m. on Satur- By offering the auction on- Friday, August 20, is a customised event focusing on communication within the farm business. day, August 14. line, it enables supporters of Lots 119 to 145 have been the Charlton club and resi- BCG is hosting this event create bonds, which in turn you registered for the post- register call the BCG office “locked”, and will be sold live dents of the community, past with funding from FRRR’s In create a shared experience poned June event, your regis- on (03) 5492 2787 or visit: from 8.30 p.m. on Saturday, and present, to get involved, a Good Place, due to farmer which are the foundation of tration has automatically been https://www. bcg.org.au/events/ August 14 (Covid depending). and support their club. feedback regarding the conse- any good communication.” transfers to the new date. To tomorrow-farmer/ To register for the auction, • Check out the list of auc- quences poor communication BCG CEO Fiona Best vitit galabid.com/cfc, where tion items on page 11 of can have on the farm busi- said: “Farming is a unique in- you will also be able to keep today’s “Times”.

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