50 years ago, January 1976
Between 1969 and 1974 there were about 90,000 road traffic accidents in Victoria, causing almost 6000 deaths.
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Six hundred of these took place on level crossings.
In Victoria, as in Australia generally, about 80 per cent of all level crossings are equipped only with signs and have no bells, lights or boom barriers.
These features pose great problems to research workers, for there is clearly little benefit in waiting 30 years to observe a particular event.
To overcome this, a team appointed by the Victorian Government is seeking the co-operation of residents in the Rochester, Shepparton and Echuca areas in a questionnaire study of ‘’near misses’’ at level crossings.
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Tight bowling under pressure by Ivor Thompson gave him and his partner Dick Keech the Sands-Goodall Memorial Pairs at Rochester Bowling Green against Merv Chirnside and Arthur Humbert of Lockington.
It was an excellent day for our Eric Sands-Joe Goodall Memorial Pairs.
Sunshine, good greens and a full entry, plus an excellent lunch, with “PM” Ken Langdon in good touch with the carving knife.
Three pairs won four games and the eventual winners Dick Keech and Ivor Thompson came from an almost impossible position to snatch victory from Lockington's Merv Chirnside and Arthur Humbert in the final.
This was an exciting climax to a great day.
25 years ago, January 2001
The shopping precincts of Mackay and Gillies Sts will have a 50km/h speed restriction as of next Monday, following the reduction by 10km/h to residential street speed limits.
The state government has lowered the speed limit in all residential streets, with those remaining at the 60km/h speed to be sign-posted by Monday, January 22. Campaspe Shire has the task of erecting the new signage shire-wide.
Acting chief executive Ralph Kop said where a major function of a road was as a collector or feeder road, the speed limit would remain at 60km/h.
Moore St would definitely remain at 60km/h, as would Diggora Rd, Dudley St, High St, Railway Rd, Elizabeth St and Bridge Rd/Lowry St.
Motorists will have to adhere to 50km/h or less in all other unsigned residential streets.
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Stewart Walkley has been named the Rochester and District Citizen of the Year for 2000.
Stewart, 77, who was nominated by the Rochester RSL sub-branch, is the 10th returned serviceman to receive the award.
Rochester Australia Day committee also announced Leanne Carter as the Young Citizen of the Year.
Stewart's nomination came in recognition of his long and continuous service to the RSL, particularly to the Rochester sub-branch, since he arrived in the town almost 50 years ago.
After joining the Rochester RSL, he served continuously on committees and in office, holding the posts of president, vice-president, district board delegate, state councillor and sub-branch treasurer, a position he still holds.
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In an age of mechanisation, computers and big machines, it evokes admiration that major irrigation systems were planned and accomplished with horse and man power, sweat, muscle and ingenuity.
More than 100 years ago, men and horses moved tons of earth to build walls and create dams and channels to bring irrigation to drier districts.
In fact, in 1871 the first company was formed to construct the North West Canal system to connect Rochester to Portland.
By 1890 the Goulburn Weir was under construction with 1102 men and 500 horses employed to construct the first link of 21 miles.
Bamawm received its channel link in 1911.
The history and importance of water has been part of Lockington resident Gordon Weller's life.
It was the realisation that others held the concept that water originated ‘in the channel’ that caused him, along with members of Lockington Landcare, to set up a display in a vacant Lockington shop.
10 years ago, January 2016
Many Cambodian children will cycle the 20km journey to school instead of walking, thanks to a group of Rochester volunteers.
The group of Rotarians, high-school students and friends of Rotary returned from their two-week service project just before Christmas and said while they had changed the lives of many Cambodians, their own lives had significantly changed.
Visits to schools and orphanages saw the Rochester locals take sports classes, teach dental hygiene, take art classes and donate 20 bicycles to help students with their long trek to school.
‘‘For students who walked excessive distances to learn, the reaction and appreciation was phenomenal,’’ participant Bryan Griffiths said.
The World of Difference trip, hosted by Rotary District 9800, also saw participants visit a school in Phnom Penh, which, due to the work by Rotarians from several clubs, had been built and fitted with equipment for learning and play.
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On January 26 we will gather as a nation to celebrate what is great about Australia and what it means to be Australian.
It is a day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of.
On Tuesday next week, four outstanding community members and two groups will be recognised for the stellar work they do in this region at Rochester’s Australia Day awards dinner.
RSL centenary project officer, veteran and academic John Glover is the 2016 Citizen of the Year.
He was nominated for his tireless work behind creating, building and dedicating Rochester’s World War I memorial, along with his work at the RSL, which generated countless projects of profound community significance.
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Lockington’s Lee Kimber has been back in the rodeo winners’ circle after events in Victoria, NSW and South Australia.
Kimber won the rope and tie at Yarrawonga by 0.1 of a second from runner-up Glen Perkins from Bacchus Marsh.
Then he and Perkins teamed up for a trip to Carrieton in SA and celebrated the journey with a win in team roping.
Kimber was the most successful cowboy over the three weekends of the Christmas Run with four wins on either side of the Victoria/NSW border, including winning the rope and tie at Beechworth (Victoria) and the steer wrestling at Finley (NSW).
It was an outstanding effort to win a double in the rope and tie, as steer wrestling was his best event at last year’s Australian championships.