DONALD BIRCHIP Phone: 5497 1222 Phone: 5492 2735 Email: The Buloke Times Fax: 5492 2863 [email protected] Email: [email protected] birchipblc@ Est. 1875 bigpond.com Published Tuesdays and Fridays PRICE (inc. G.S.T.) $2 PP331336/0000 1 Friday, March 12, 2021 For the Shire of Buloke, and the districts of Birchip, Charlton, Donald, St. Arnaud, Watchem and Wycheproof • Left to right, Dr. Anne Webster, Mark Gepp, Ali Cupper and Cr. Daryl Warren, at the Wycheproof Early Learning Centre. New Dawn for Wycheproof Early Learning The Wycheproof Early Learning Centre has officially opened, positions, the new Wychep- members from returning to contemporary buildings in roof Early Learning Centre work. It is a wonderful result Birchip, Donald and Wyche- marking a new dawn for the community. has been welcomed by the for local families and an im- proof, with projects under Mark Gepp (Member for The addition of the Early Government Department of Wycheproof community, and portant investment in the fu- way in Charlton and Sea Northern Victoria), Dr. Anne Learning Centre complements Industry, Science, Energy and is already being well utilised. ture of the town and the area. Lake to give each of the five Webster (Member for Mallee), the Wycheproof P-12 College, Resources through the Drought “The project has long All Levels major towns in Buloke ap- and Ali Cupper (Member for giving the town an education Communities Programme – been held as a top priority for “Council has advocated propriate early learning cen- Mildura), were all on hand to precinct that can take its chil- Extension ($500,000), the Wycheproof,” said Buloke strongly for investment from tres. welcome the new facility that dren on a long and rewarding Victorian School Building Mayor, Cr. Daryl Warren. all levels of government to “We thank the Federal and houses childcare, kinder- developmental journey. Authority ($700,000) and the “This one-stop-shop ad- support our families in living State Governments for their garten, playground as well $1.22 Million Project local Parents Group ($20,000). dresses the previous lack of and working in the area. The support for local families and maternal and child health The $1.22 million project With a capacity of 12-day childcare facilities which completion of this facility our next generation.” facilities. was funded by the Federal care, and 22 kindergarten prevented many community means there are now new • Continued on page 2. Community Power Hubs to Tackle Energy Bills The Victorian Government is giving local communities across the state the power to drive down their energy bills with major investments in community renewable energy. Member for Northern Vic- The program is offering successfully develop projects $437,000 a year on energy toria, Mark Gepp, said the more than $3.3 million in such as solar panel installa- bills, while reducing carbon program will play an integral grants to community organi- tions on community facilities emissions by 4,100 tonnes an- role in bringing community- sations to establish and Com- and solar bulk buy programs nually – the equivalent of tak- owned renewable energy munity Power Hubs across in for local businesses. ing more than 1,240 cars off projects to life in Northern metropolitan Melbourne and The Victorian Government the road. Victoria. regional Victoria. established the Community “The community owned The Labor Government Each hub will be led by a Power Hubs pilot program in and operated hubs will help announced the expansion of local not-for-profit or social 2017 to leverage local expertise drive investment in regions the Community Power Hubs enterprise organisation, and and get community energy like ours, while creating jobs Next edition of Mallee Farmer out program to support the devel- will bring together organisa- projects off the ground in the and reducing energy bills,” opment of community-owned tions from across the region to regional areas of Ballarat, said Mr Gepp. Friday, March 19, 2021 and operated renewable work together to deliver com- Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley. For more information and Monthly supplement for The Buloke Times, energy projects across the munity projects. During the three-year pilot, to apply, visit: sustainability. Sea Lake & Wycheproof Times Ensign, state, based on the successful The hubs will provide the three hubs supported 43 vic.gov.au/Grants-and-funding North West Express and Robinvale Sentinel. pilot program that ran from the resources, expertise and projects and saved project /Community-Power-Hubs- 2017 to 2020. start-up funding required to host organisations a total of Program Agricultural Research: With help from US funds, the Queensland team has developed a disease-resistant genetically modified line Rice and Bananas of Cavendish bananas. Not far north of the Buloke shire, another grain is The same group has made good use of further grown : oryza sativa or rice, in the Murray and Mur- FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 American funds, this time supplied by the Bill and rumbidgee Valleys region, and there are a small number Melinda Gates Foundation. The team, led by Professor of farms in northern Victoria. has commented on efforts to produce a “golden rice” James Dale, has used genetic modification technology This year’s crop will be almost ten times the size to which would be added vitamin A by GM methods. in creating a banana which incorporates a good content of last summer’s yield, which was the second smallest These efforts were in order to provide enough of the of vitamin A. in the 70-year history of SunRice. That one was de- vitamin to improve the health of young people, partic- This will supply, for instance, many African child- pleted by drought, and a big improvement is expected ularly in developing countries. ren with a snack to improve their eyesight. The GM from this month on, in spite of a difficult summer of banana is currently undergoing field trials in Uganda, unseasonably cool growing conditions. Fortunately, Now there is promise of a new source of the re- and should be released on to the market by the end of daytime temperatures have been high enough to protect quired vitamin: in bananas. 2022. from the cold nights. It would, incidentally, be another achievement of The team at the University of Queensland had al- Australian research to follow the work of Professor SunRice hopes to build up enough stocks to meet ready undertaken research to find resistance to the Fred Hollows, which has enabled children in eastern export markets like Vietnam, USA, and South America. global scourge of Panama disease. The worst form of Africa, Asia, and Australian Aborigines to cope with Officials thought supplies to the domestic market might the fungus is found in tropical race 4 (TR4). not last till Christmas because of customers wanting to eye problems (trachoma and cataracts). rush into stocking up to beat the virus, but demand The soil-borne disease has spread around the Prof. Dale thinks that the gene editing technology eased sufficiently to make the rice see the distance. world: widespread production problems have been available now has the potential to add diversity to agri- In the course of reporting on advantages of genetic caused in the Philippines, while parts of the Middle culture — in this case, with the humble banana, by al- modification (GM) of food crops, the “Buloke Times” East, Israel, Jordan, and Mozambique are also infected. lowing small, sweet varieties to return to shop shelves. Wycheproof Seniors’ The Fate of the Fete Lunch Unfortunately, the annual school fete has been cancelled for 2021. The reason behind this decision was highlighted to, and On March 4, only eight then supported by, the school council at a recent meeting. people joined together for As the fete is a successful encouraged to do so. Please caused the exercise to become and all the students asked lots seniors’ lunch. Wyche Alive fundraiser for the school it ring the school to obtain quite chaotic. She then com- of questions in regards to provided a lovely meal, as was decided that the raffle banking details. pared the distractions of the what is considered safe and usual. We welcomed Annie would still be held, and that tennis balls to driving a car. legal. Andrew also spoke Jolly, a newcomer to all of the fundraising carried The fete provides a very The more distractions while about safe partying and look- Wycheproof, and hopefully out in 2021 would be directed important opportunity for the driving, the more chance of ing after your mates. a new member for the towards the concreting of the school community to come them causing an accident. Senior Citizens’ Club. shade area on the southern together and increases com- Case Study BULLETIN side of the stadium. munity connection. With this Leading Senior Constable After recess, Laura facili- This month we had two in mind school council ex- Andrew Downes, from Swan tated a hands on case study Overall the sessions left birthdays; Marie Harrison and pressed a desire for a school Concreting and covering Hill, spoke to the students on based on a real event occur- the students with a new Wendy Hutcheon, both ladies based community event to be the concrete with synthetic laws and fines in regards to ring in Broken Head Road, awareness of their individual were given a beautifully held later in 2021. grass would enable this un- driving. The rules surround- New South Wales in 2006. role in decisions that impact scented rose spray, provided derutilised area to be available ing young drivers in regards This activity was created by their own lives and those of by Elaine Ison-Ritchie; Elaine for school and community Fit to Drive to drink and drug driving, MFB/CFA and showcased the friends, families and whole also won the door prize.