Reflections from the past

The system was full of faults.

Of the 7800 people in the Rochester Shire, only 3300 actually paid rates, so the services which the shire provides for all are paid by half.

The average assessment, said Mr Rorke, in the south-west riding was approximately double that of those in both the north-west and central ridings. Furthermore, the share fell most heavily on the farming community.

The rural rate amounted to $460,000 while the urban rate amounts to $75,000.

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Rochester schoolboy Jim Brooks has been adjudged the Lions Club of Rochester representative in the Lions Youth of the Year contest.

Jim defeated three other contestants. There were four contestants at Rochester, Peter Downs, Peter Weeks and Geoff Adams, as well as the winner Jim Brooks.

During the afternoon they were judged on a number of aspects of their ability at the municipal offices.

A judging panel of five, headed by chairman Ron Westcott and including Captain Jim McKenna and Messrs Ken Pearson, Doug Weaving and Ian Coughlan, later in the evening also listened to the youths address at the Lions Club meeting at the Hotel Rochester.

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The Rev Andrew Curnow has been appointed locum of the Milloo Parish of the Church of England for the next two months.

Mr Curnow is a graduate of Melbourne University in economics and has a Bachelor of Divinity from the Melbourne College of Divinity.

He has recently returned from a trip to England where he spent seven weeks.

He returned to Australia as an Australian immigration chaplain on board the SS Australia.

25 years ago March 2000

Disposal of cardboard should no longer be a problem for Rochester businesses after Campaspe Shire councillors voted on Thursday to approve the construction of a transfer station at the Rochester skip depot.

Colbinabbin and Toolleen will also have resource recovery facilities made available.

The three communities had each made inquiries about recycling facilities at their respective transfer stations.

The shire has attracted a grant of $5500 from EcoRecycle Victoria for the projects.

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When Ron Williams closes the door of his Moore St shop at the end of April, it will mark the end of an era.

But this Saturday, April 1, he plans to celebrate that era with a line-up of motor vehicles, hot rods, go karts, super karts, speedway cars, sprint cars and vintage and veteran cans outside his business — and he’s throwing in a sausage sizzle.

But look for the gimmick — the catch — that touch of humour that’s accompanied Ron right through his business life and community activities in Rochester.

Longer term residents may recall the Apex Miss Inland Beach Girl contest where Ron and his cronies promised a Saturday morning treat of a parade of models to promote the contest.

A packed Gillies St could only laugh and wonder at the closely-shaved faces of the bathing suit clad group sitting on the back of Ron’s truck that morning.

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Rochester’s Murray to Moyne relay cyclists and back-up crew, ‘’Oppy’s Home Town Team’’, returned home on Sunday night after completing the 520km ride from Echuca to Port Fairy in perfect cycling conditions.

The team was able to better the previous year’s time by more than three hours.

All riders achieved or bettered personal goals set before the relay, with Rochester and Elmore District Health Services the beneficiary of sponsorship funds collected by the team members together with profits from fundraising events.

The total looks like being more than $8000, according to team co-ordinator Bronwyn Griffiths.

10 years ago March 2015

Four Rochester projects are a step closer to completion.

The projects, put forward by Rochester community and sporting groups, have progressed to the next phase of the Rochester community recreation grants program.

A lighting upgrade at Rochester recreation reserve, a new motorsports course, a footbridge across the Campaspe River and two new tennis courts at Rochester Racecourse Recreation Reserve are the projects selected by the project review group to move to the next phase.

A total of $481,883 will be allocated to approved recreation projects through the one-off grant program, made possible through the sale of irrigation water as part of the closure of the Campaspe irrigation system at the Rochester Racecourse Recreation Reserve.

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Elmore Bakery will sell more than 20,000 award-winning hot cross buns this week as self-raising flour arrives by the truck load.

Baker and part-owner Travis Wilson travelled to Shepparton earlier this month to put his buns to the test against the best in Australia’s best hot cross bun competition.

After sampling hundreds of entries, judges deemed Elmore’s buns tasty enough for a spot on the podium and Travis was awarded third place.

‘‘We were pretty confident going in and wanted to win but we’re still stoked with third,’’ Travis said.

After 12 years in charge of the ovens, he said the art of baking the perfect hot cross bun was a ‘‘fairly complicated’’ process.

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Police Association of Victoria secretary Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles has come out swinging at Campaspe Police Inspector Paul Margetts after claiming his hometown of Rochester is being left exposed to criminals.

Sen Sgt Iddles believes the inspector’s new roster system, which sees officers in Rochester, Rushworth and Kyabram no longer on call, but starting earlier or finishing later, is putting residents and businesses at unnecessary risk.

‘‘After 11pm you’ve got three towns with no police response other than one police van that comes from Echuca,’’ Sen Sgt Iddles said.

‘‘If you’re going to change a model, you need to consult with the community.’’

Insp Margetts has said he is keen to see his 10-month-old trial become standard practice when it is reviewed in the coming weeks.