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Loddon HERALD Vol 5 No 2, THURSDAY JANUARY 16, 2025 ISSN 2653-1550
THE SHOCK PASSING OF LEADING STOCK AGENT
RURAL communities across central and northern Victoria have been shocked by the sudden passing this week of popular livestock agent Chris Nevins. A director of the century-old family business FP Nevins and Co based in Inglewood, Mr Nevins had also been president
of the Bendigo Associated Stock Agents. He had joined the family business in 1979 and was well known across the region and at weekly stock sales in Bendigo auctioning sheep. Mr Nevins’ passing came as a shock to the industry where he was respected for his experience and insights on stock and market trends.
A long-time volunteer with Inglewood Football Club, Mr Nevins had served as president of the Blues and in recent years had been vice-president. The home match gatekeeper had been awarded life membership of the club in 2007. Mr Nevins is survived by son Jack, a regular senior player with Inglewood. Funeral details will be announced later.
Chris Nevins ... selling sheep at market in 2024. LH PHOTO
Banner headlines of the Wedderburn Express in 1965
Survivor recalls tragedy of ‘horrible day’ 60 years ago
Kevin Poyser ... wall of flame came over the hill. LH PHOTO
TEMPERATURES rapidly soared into the 40s and strong winds swirled on what has been described as the Loddon’s darkest fire day 60 years ago tomorrow. Two lives were lost in the Kingower fire that stretched from Inglewood to Rheola, among them volunteer fireman Alan McKean Four other firemen were injured when the flames came over a hill near Arnold. One was Kevin Poyser who had rushed from his job at the Bridgewater flour mill to jump on the brigade’s truck as sirens summonsed firefighters to action soon after lunch. “I can’t remember a day as bad with the heat and an immense wind from early in the morning,”
Kevin recalled this week. “The siren was still going when we left the station on an Austin tanker - Don Jenkins was the driver, Charlie Lumber, Jack Jenkins and myself were on the back.” Kevin said: “We weren’t there long ... in a paddock that had not been stripped at Arnold West, the truck became immobile when a wall of fire came over the top of us. “Don, who was a mechanic, tried to get the truck moving ... it just wouldn’t move. “Within minutes, it might have been seconds. It all happened so quickly ... the truck tyres were well alight. “We then walked, side by side, probably half a kilometre to a
farmhouse where there were people, the four of us were put in the back of a ute and taken to Inglewood hospital. “It was a horrific drive and painful, especially with the wind.” For Jack and Kevin, it would be the start of six months of care at Bendigo and Melbourne’s Preston and Northcote Community Hospital for skin grafts and later plastic surgery as they recovered from burns in the fire. Kevin said it was only last year that he returned to that Arnold West paddock where the Bridgewater tanker crew was injured on January 17, 1965. “It was a shocking day and a savage fire.”
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