Friday, 12 February, 2021 WEATHER PAGE 18 TV GUIDE PAGES 21-22, 43-44 PUZZLES PAGES 12-13, 20 CLASSIFIEDS PAGES 47-49 borderwatch.com.au | $3.00 City rail history Saleyards turned to eyesore STORY PAGE 3 lifeline RAQUEL MUSTILLO [email protected] LIVESTOCK agent John Chay has wel- comed Wattle Range Council’s decision to keep the Millicent Saleyards opera- tional, but warned “we have not won the war” due to the imposition of a number of conditions for its retention. After two years of uncertainty, the council-owned cattle selling facility was saved from permanent closure after elected members backed a motion to keep the gates open conditional on the yards maintaining a yearly throughput of 8500. At Tuesday night’s council meeting, elected members resumed discussion on a motion by cattle producer and Councillor Moira Neagle to continue the operations of the facility until 2025, de- velop a management plan for the faculty and consider recurrent funding for capi- tal upgrades. But Penola-based Rick Paltridge - who has been a vocal opponent of continuing the saleyards - told the chamber he had spoken to “numerous people around the region” including stock agents, truck drivers, meat buyers and farmers who he claimed believed the saleyards should be closed down. UNSIGHTLY: National Trust South Australia Mount Gambier branch chair Nathan Woodruff has urged maintenance to occur at the old Mount Gambier STORY PAGE 5 roundhouse site, which has become an eyesore adjacent to the popular shared use path. Picture: MOLLY TAYLOR Arsenic alarm at Bay RAQUEL MUSTILLO an onsite well. Arsenic levels in a well on the south-west- at both wells were above the national water ern boundary of the site have reduced from [email protected] At last week’s council meeting, elected quality guidelines for drinking water, with the members heard arsenic levels in a well on the 418 micrograms per litre in 2013 to 86 micro- north-western boundary well also exceeding grams per litre in 2018 to 30 micrograms per PORT MacDonnell residents and businesses north-western boundary of the Sea Parade site the primary industries, irrigation and general located near the town’s former boat yard site have increased from 17 micrograms per litre litre in 2020. water use on a long-term level. are being told not to use groundwater after in 2013 and 14 micrograms per litre in 2018 to A groundwater monitoring report tabled at increased levels of arsenic were detected in 179 micrograms per litre in 2020. the meeting said the current levels of arsenic STORY PAGE 5 TEST DRIVE NOW 12482068-NG08-21 www.barrymaneyhyundai.com.au 2 NEWS Friday, 12 February, 2021 BORDERWATCH.COM.AU HANGING OUT: St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School captain Ella Matthews is among the first to scale the artifi- cial rock wall at Rendelsham’s Noorla Yo Long Outdoor Adventure camp. FAST SCRAMBLE: St Anthony’s Catholic Pri- WINNING CLIMB: Tyson Sutherland is congratu- mary School student Will Dower was awarded a lated on his fastest climb by South Australian $50 voucher for climbing the rock wall the fast- Police Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott. est at the official launch of the project. Coming to grips with new wall RAQUEL MUSTILLO [email protected] INDIVIDUALS and groups will flex their muscles and find balance through rock climbing following the installation of an indoor artificial climbing wall at the Noorla Yo-Long Blue Light Outdoor Adventure facility. Constructed by Millicent Community Learning Centre students, the newest addi- tion to the life skill adventure training facility was officially launched by South Australian Assistant Police Commissioner Ian Parrott at an event on Tuesday. Students from the Millicent Commu- nity Learning Centre and Millicent primary schools joined dignitaries from SA Police, including Limestone Coast police officer in charge Superintendent Phil Hoff, Inspector Campbell Hill, Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell, Member for MacKillop Nick McBride and Limestone Coast mayors for the opening. Noorla Yo-Long management commit- tee chair and SA Police Sergeant Andy Stott praised the collaborative efforts of students, business and donors - including children’s charity Cops For Kids, Variety SA, Rotary Club of Mount Gambier Lakes and Naracoorte, Lu- cindale and Millicent Lions club - in support- ing the project. PROUD ACHIEVEMENT: Millicent Community Learning Centre graduates Tyson Sutherland, Hayley Fatchen and Mitchell Gurney are congratulated Sgt Stott said the long-awaited project on their efforts by lecturer Neil Reilly, centre manager Gemma Winterborn, construction teacher Brett Loader, school support officer Julie Bevan and would complement the existing outdoor ac- Noorla Yo-Long program manager Senior Constable First Class Geoff Yates. tivities, including ground-level initiatives, high ropes and caving. anyone who has been involved deserves to be lationships with police and the broader com- “Trying to find the guts to get on the scissor “For the majority of who you live in the congratulated,” he said. munity. lift was the hardest part for me, but I kept calm Limestone Coast, you know we have the lux- “A couple of principles that we rely on is col- “We have a connection with the communi- and tried to do the job to the best standard I ury of sometimes having four seasons in any laborative partnerships and prevention first. ty and this project allowed students with po- could. one particular day. “In general this facility, and the new addi- lice and see them in a different light,” she said. “It was a huge project and we made every- “We have schools and other groups who tion today, goes to the heart of those princi- “It also taught them about teamwork the thing, so we had to measure a lot to make sure everything would fit.” visit here to participate when it is raining or ples in terms of working with the community, importance of working together. inclement weather we were limited to what we working with our young people and hopefully Newbery Park and St Anthony’s Catholic “It is great for the students to see such a big can do with those groups. being a positive influence on them and their Primary School students were among the first “For several years as a management com- lives and paths forward.” project like this can be achieved which will to trial the stoneface, with St Anthony’s school benefit the entire community.” mittee we have talked about this day.” The purpose-built wall features seven dif- captain Ella Matthews conquering the five of Assistant Commissioner Parrott said ap- ferent routes of varying levels of difficulty Millicent Community Learning Centre the seven peaks. proximately 50,000 people had participated from beginner to more challenging climbs, graduate Mitchell Gurney was among the co- “I have done rock climbing before in Ade- in the SAPOL facilitated education program which are colour-coded by holds. hort of students who built the wall and faced a laide but it is good to have one here,” Ella said. since the Rendelsham facility was opened in Millicent Community Learning Cen- fear of heights during the on-site construction “All the walls are different and some are 1998. tre manger Gemma Winterborn said the 18 of the floor to ceiling project. harder than others because they have little “That is a massive amount of people and month project provided students with prac- “We had to do a Working at Heights course rocks and are spaced out more than others. has included youth groups and schools and tical construction skills and strengthened re- before we could get on the scissor lift,” he said. “It is a lot of fun.” Main Corner trees removed SA Governor to visit Lucindale SEVERAL troublesome trees have been wind a lot more,” Mr Serle said. SOUTH Australian Governor Hieu Van coorte Migrant Resource Centre and Lime- Le will tour the fire-affected Lucindale stone Coast Multicultural Network before removed from Mount Gambier’s Main “A number have also been removed community during an official tour of the enjoying dinner at Pearl Continental Aus- Corner, with recent damage caused by over the years along the Commercial Street strong winds the catalyst for action. region later this month. tralia with invited guests. frontage,” he said. Mr Le’s February 20 itinerary will in- City Council ordered removal of the ori- Mr Le last visited the area in 2019 where Mr Serle said the wind damage was sig- clude opening the Children’s Museum at the ental plane trees along the western fringe he attended a community morning tea and nificant and the pruning required would Sheep’s Back Museum in Naracoorte before toured local businesses, farms, wineries of the Main Corner precinct following an spending the afternoon at Lucindale to view mean the trees would likely never return to and tourist attractions. incident last month where a branch was the fire recovery efforts from January’s dev- dislodged and fell across the footpath and an attractive state and would continue to Naracoorte Lucindale mayor Erika Vick- drop limbs. astating Blackford-Avenue Range fire. car parks. He is scheduled to have lunch at Yak- ery said it was an honour to be hosting an- Council infrastructure general manager The senior council officer said elected ka Park with volunteers and community other local visit by Mr Le and to showcase Nick Serle said the trees had been an on- members would have an expectation the members involved in the fire fighting and the region’s richness and diversity as well as going concern due to the impact of strong trees would be replaced, foreshadowing the recovery efforts and will then travel to Av- its resilience in the wake of the Blackford- winds in the area.