Gippsland Farmer October 2022

Success at Royal Melbourne

ABASS show rider has achieved every horse-mad girl’s dream by winning a broad sash in Australia’smostprestigiouseventatthe Royal Melbourne Show, the Garryowen Equestrienne turnout.

First time competitor Elizabeth Krog came second in the ultra-distinguished event onher glossyseven-year-old Arabian warmblood gelding Warrawee Impresareeo.

“I onlysaidI would go tothe Garryowen if Ihad the right horse, I knew Ihad everythingpretty much spot on,” Ms Krog said.

“I’m exhausted but really happy, my main concernwas the work out and the rest would pull itself offand set a standard. This was all Icould hope for.”

The Garryowen turnout is awomen’s hacking class steeped in tradition held

at everyRoyal Melbourne Show.

Horse and riders arejudged on astrict criteria including general appearance, attire, saddlery, riding ability, horse manners, paces and conformation.

The eventisnamed in honourof 1920shorsewoman Violet Murrell, who was achampion jockey,hunt rider,showjumper andshowie who won the most trophies of any woman in the world.

But she was killed in astable firein Mentone while trying to save her horses, including her top mount Garryowen.

Today, competitors plan their outfits to the utmost perfection, withtraditional woollen breeches, garter straps, polished silverware, hairnets and gloves with pearl buttons.

All clothing and saddlery has to fit just-so. The saddlery mustbeplain and the strapping must fit to middle hole.

Ms Krog worevintage hand-made attire, andhad the bridle especially made for the event.

“I never go out unless everything is 100 per cent. Iwant to get it right as I’m aperfectionist. Showing has taught me alot, like how to be organised and how to be prepared,” she said.

“You can only get out of it what you put in.”

Ms Krog grew upin the showring alongside her mum Joanne, who was also achampion rider

She fell in love withImpresareeo when she saw him as an unbroken colt while visiting Warrawee stud and took him homejusttwo years ago as agreenbroken gelding.

“WhenI first got on him he was petrified of everything, and he was wary of me on him. But Ihad this feeling that therewas something about him, Ican’t

explain it,” she said.

“It turned out he has it, it’s taken alot of work but he is amazing. He has this explosive look and this is what makes him so eye-catching.”

The pair went on to win ahandful of Horse of the Year awards including at Barastok and the Show Horse Council, as well aswinning Champion Hack at this year’s Sydney and Melbourne royals.

Ms Krog said shekepteverything simple leading into the Garryowen preparation, and plaited his mane and tailtwo hours beforethey weredue to enter the ring.

“Many people make abig fuss before ashow, but the less fuss, the easier it is. I’m very lucky,” she said.

“I just kept him going and once he finished Icould take abreath. He was great.”

Dung beetle nursery launched

WEST Gippsland Landcaregroups are jumping aboarda lucrativemarketby breeding different species of dung beetles to help stop nutrient run-offfrom farms.

Cannibal Creek LandcareGroup is work ing with Melbourne Water to develop adung beetle nursery in Tonimbuk, to introduce different species of the farmers’ little helper into the region.

Cannibal Creek Landcaretreasurer Alan Forte said the predominate species in west Gippsland was only active in summer

The Tonimbuk program is breeding up four species that willbeactive in each season, turning poo into fertiliser

“Thereare many species of native dung beetlebut they won’t touch cattle manure, so we need to import them from overseas wherethereisnative cattle, mainly from Africaor Europe,” Mr Forte said.

“They areenvironmentally very sensitive so you need to make surethey aresuit able for the area. We don’t necessarilyknow which ones willworkand whichones won’t.”

Mr Forte said some of these tle creatures werebeing purchased from abreederinSouth Australia at a whopping $8 per-head, with othersranging from $2.50 or $3 per-beetle.

The beetles will be shared with local landholders to set up colonies and released onto paddocks, and populationswill be monitored and uploadedvia the BioCollect app with Atlas of Living Australia.

Dungbeetlesare known as ecosystem engineers because they bury manure and turnnutrients into natural fertiliser,

ducing nutrient runoff.

They wereoriginally introduced by the CSIRO in the 1960s to help manage flies breeding in cattle manure, but therehas been very little monitoring of their success in Gippsland.

ADungBeetleEcosystemEngineering Project is being run in conjunction with Charles SturtUniversity andthe federal government to acclimatising anew species from Morocco.

Mr Forte said it was important for farmers

to avoid drenching livestock with ivermectin beforeintroducing dung beetles into paddocks.

He saiditwas also important for cattle to be nearby beforesetting the little creatures free, to ensurethey found some pats to bury themselves safely into.

“You need to be wary that foxes and crows can eat them before they bury down. A few years ago I released about 1000 into a paddock and the crows ate them all,” Mr Forte said.

“I followed the instructions and released them, but an hour later all the dung was shredded up and therewas nothing.”

Minister forWater Harriet Shing visited the Tonimbuk beetle nursery last month to learnmoreabout the breeding program.

“Dung beetles are amazing insects, with benefits for water quality and agriculture,” Ms Shing said.

“This project will help us understand more about them, while farmlands will benefit from the ecosystem service they provide.”

Let us tick all your boxes!

Iso periodscraped

THE PrimeMinisterannounced after NationalCabinet onFriday, September 30 the mandatory five-day isolation period for COVID-19 will be scrapped,effective October 14.

Anthony Albanese said he and the First Ministers wanted anationally-consistent approach to the issue.

“It was aunanimous decision by the National Cabinet today and had the support of all Premiers and Chief Ministers,” he said.

National Cabinet also agreed to end the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment(PLDP) effectivethe same date.

However,mandatary isolation and “targeted” financial support will continue for workersinaged care, disability care, Aboriginalhealthcareand hospitalcare sectors.

The new payment will be funded 50:50 between the commonwealthand states and territories, with final details including eligibility and compliance to be released by Services Australia.

These arrangements will be reviewed at the December meeting of National Cabinet.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly saidthe changes werecontext-specific and timing-specific recommendations.

“Itrecognises that we areinavery low community transmission phaseofthe pandemic here in Australia.Itdoesnot in any way suggest that the pandemic is finished,” he said

“Wewill almost certainly see futurepeaks of the virus, as we have seen earlier this year. However,atthe moment,wehave verylow rates of cases, hospitalisations, intensive-careadmissions, aged-care outbreaks and various other measures that we have been following very closely in our weekly open report.

“Wealso have, at the moment, very high hybridimmunity from previousinfection,as well as high vaccination rates, particularly andspecificallyinthose highly-vulnerable communities: older people, people in aged care, people living with adisability and the ones that we have talked about many times before.”

Tourism’s five-point plan

THE Victoria TourismIndustryCouncil (VITC) has developed alist of policies for the upcoming state election, several of which relate to Gippsland and surrounding areas, as part of their #tourismmatters campaign.

The campaign outlines afive-point plan to create jobs and support businesses in the visitor economy. Measures includeacall for an aviation activation strategy to disperse tourists to regionalVictoria, including a planfor an airport in Bairnsdale; planning for theCommonwealth Games;capping how long properties can be listed on shortstay platforms; and boosting skills and training for regional workers.

Other priorities include areview of Crown land use, including 49-year leases to encourage infrastructuredevelopment in tourism experiences, adedicated business eventsstrategy, and free TAFE tourism and travel courses.

As Victorians head to the polls in November,VTIC is calling for all major par ties to commit to items within its five-point plan that fall under the following themes:

1. Demand driving response to achanging consumer;

2. Tackling the employment and skills crisis in tourism and the visitor economy;

3. Access and improving infrastructure in anew visitor economy;

4. Planningfor the Commonwealth Games and beyond and;

5. Create a10-year blueprint to revitalise greater Melbourne.

VTICchief executive, FeliciaMariani, said Victoria faced multiple pressures in working to full recovery.

“Thereisnodoubt that regionalVictoria will shine on the global stage during the 2026 Victoria Commonwealth Games,” she said.

“Victoria’s visitor economy has enormous potential to help drive full recovery out of the pandemic, not just to pre-pandemic levels but even stronger than before.

#tourismmatters morethan ever to our continued success and revitalisation.

“We must look at the whole picture and plan for the new environment we areliving and working in. VTIC’s election priorities identify tangibleactions we can take to deliver results.”

Australian Farmer of the Year Award

AUNIVERSITYofSouthAustralia researcher has won aprestigious Australian Farmer of the Year awardfor her work in supporting mental health with an online platformfor farmers.

SA Uni researcher,Kate Gunn, received the Excellence in Agricultural Research as partofthe AustralianFarmer of the Year awards for developing the ifarmwell online resource.

The ifarmwell resource providesfreesupport to help farmers cope with the stress and uncertainty of life on the land.

Dr Gunn also won another national

accolade last month -the National LiFE Awardfor Innovation from Suicide Prevention Australia -for ifarmwell, which has been designed by Australian farmers for farmers. In Australia, farmers aretwice as likely moretodie from suicidethan other employed people.

The platformwas developed with 10 years of buildingon farmers’ strengths beliefs, and preferences, so that health and wellbeing strategies aremeaningful, and morelikely be adopted.

Dr Gunn said working with and helping rural communities was close to her heart.

“Having grown up on afarm, I’ve seen first-handhow poor mental healthand wellbeing can affect close-knit communities,” Dr Gunn said.

“Living on the land can be wonderful. But it can also be isolating and challenging.”

Dr Gunn saidifarmwell wasdesigned in partnership with farmers to help them build practical strategies that can help them manage life’s ups and downs.

She saidfarmers were“greatpractical problem solvers”.

“Through ifarmwell,we’reproviding manageable and relatable tools to help farmers

increase their ability to copeeffectively with the things they cannot control or fix,” Dr Gunn said.

“It is very exciting to me that the impor tanceoffarmers’mental health and wellbeing has been recognised nationally in these ways.

“I also hope that these awards serve as ahelpful reminder to farmers that we all need to deliberately invest time in maintaining and improving our own well-being, ifarmwell is freely available to help them do that.”

Newrules for silagecovers

FARMERS will no longer need an environment protection licence to weigh-down silage covers withmorethan 5000 tyres, a practicethat has been moved to aregistration system.

It comes after more than twoyears of consultation betweenDairyAustralia; the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Environment; the EPA; and the Victorian Farmers Federation.

red-tape,” said VFFpresidentEmma Germano.

“It was an absoluteheadachefor farmers to obtain alicense or face eye-watering fines. The move to compromise and introduce aregistration system is aworkable solution.”

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The move hasbeen welcomed by the VFF,which has described it as a“win for farmers” and will provide guidance to farmers beforeregistration requirements areintroduced on July 1, 2023.

“This isastepin the right direction towards simplifyingthe process for farmers and avoiding costly and time-consuming

VFF United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president, Mark Billing, said farmers helped provide invaluableinformation that was used to design these new regulations.

“Webelieve thismovewillstreamline compliance and remove the need for a license,” Mr Billing said.

“It’s certainly abetter outcome than the current licensing system and will benefit farmers who arestoring large quantities of silage.”

Motoring gem

THE morerecentresidentsofTrafalgar would not realisethat at one time Trafalgar had as many as four motor traders in the town. Oneofthem was Willys and Whippet agent Arch McDonald, situated in the main street of town.

In 1926, Willys–Overland introduced anew lineofsmall cars namedWillysOverland Whippet.

The Whippetatfirst was available only as the Model96with a30HP,four-cylinder engine on a3.93Mwheelbase chassis, but the Model 98, powered by a40HP sixcylinder engine with a4.29M wheelbase, was added in 1927. Bodies available in both models werecoupe, roadster,two-door and 4-door sedans, cabriolet and landau.

All Whippetmodels were also manu factured and distributedinAustraliaby the Holden bodyshops, but with 21-inch instead of 19-inchwheelsand minor changes to the body.

Whippet production ended in 1931; its models werereplaced by the Willys Six and Eight. Production of the Willys Knight ended in 1933.

The history of Willys Knight goes back to 1913 when J.N Willys met up with Charles YKnight while on atrip to England. Knight managed to convince him that the sleeve valve engine had some very desirable attributes over the poppet valve motor

During TheGreat Depression,Willys Overland declared bankruptcy and a reorganisation planwas implementedto rationalise the line-up of models.

This unfortunately spelledthe end of the Willys Knight and the last sleeve-valve car built in Americawas the 1933 Model 66E Great 6.

Between1914 and 1933 he was to sell almosthalfa million of the relatively

low-pricedbut high-qualitysleeve-valve engined Willys Knight.

In 1937Willys redesignedthe four-cyl inder model. It gained asemi-streamlined body with aslanted windshield, headlamps integrally embedded into the fenders, and aone-piece, rounded hood transversely hinged at the rear

For 1939, the Model 39 featured Lockheed hydraulic brakes,a50mm increase in wheelbase to 4.1M and an improved 134 DID four-cylinder engine, power increasedfrom48 to 61 hp.The Model 39 was marketed as an Overland and as aWillys–Overland rather than as aWillys.

The Willys Jeep was one of two bids when the UnitedStatesArmysoughtan automaker thatcould begin rapid production of alightweight reconnaissance car

The Trafalgar Holden Museumislocated at 69 Waterloo Road, Trafalgar and open until 5pm daily.

The museum is totally volunteer run. Thoseinterestedingetting involvedcan do so by phoning 5633 1684.

Farmer walking the plank

A YINNAR South farmer is being forced to walkacross arickety homemadebridge to accesshis own propertywhile waiting for authorities to repair a bridge that was swept away in last year’s floods.

Upper Middle Creek Road landholder Greg Davis is at loggerheads with government agencies over rebuilding aprivately-owned bridge across Crown land that allowed him to drive onto his property.

Mr Davis has acreek front lease with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning for the land between the road and his property.

He said the bridge was weakened in the 2019 Yinnar Southfires when heavy emergency service vehicles repeatedly crossed it.

The land holder said he had warned the commandcentrethat that structurewas notrated for trucks.

It meant the bridge could not withstand the devastating June 2021 stormand floods which swept it away along with abuild-up of heavy silt and logs.

Mr Davis had to build atemporary footbridge out of old pallets to allow him to walk from Upper Middle Creek Road to the other side wherehetrudges up apaddock to his house.

He is able to drive atractor through the

creek over afordonaneighbour’s property, but this is only suitable for certainvehicles in dry weather

“I walk across this footbridge every night when Iget home, even at midnight in the pouring rain. IfI have to carry shopping up, Ihave another car parked on the other side to take it to the house,” Mr Davis said.

“I don’t have any emergency access, if we needed an ambulance, they would need a helicopter,and it would be impossibleto cross the fordifthe creek was up.”

Mr Davis said his son slipped down an embankment and broke his leg and had to hobbleacross the footbridgefor the ambulance to meet him on the other side. He said the lack of access was also making life difficult for his partner with mobility issues, and meant he could notget livestock on or offhis property.

Mr Davis said he had contacted several authorities including Latrobe City Council, local MPs, DELWP,Agriculture Victoria, and the ombudsman.

“Everyone says ‘I’m sorry Mr Davis’, everyone has been hiding from this problem for ages and I’m sick of it,” he said.

“If you saw my partnerhobbling across the paddock, it would put tears in your eyes.”

DELWP is awarethat the issue had been raised with the ombudsman and was complying with any requests for information.

AForest FireManagement Victoria spokesperson said thatany replacement bridge would be subject to modernplanning processes.

“DELWP will continue to engage and maintaincommunication with the impacted resident in relationtothis assessment and the outcome of it,” the spokesperson said.

Preventing the spread of weeds

REGIONAL and rural Victorian councilswillbeabletoshare in state government funding to prevent the spread of invasive weeds and pests on roadsides.

The Ministerfor Local Government, MelissaHorne, announced the state government is investing $2.86 milliontobe shared across 56 councils through the Roadside Weeds and Pests Control Program.

Each councilwill receive between $5000 and $75,000 to manage problem plantsand pests that can breed along rural roadsides.

Weeds and pests cost the Victorian economy morethan $900 millioneachyear bydisrupting agriculturalproduction, damaging native biodiversity and contributing to the spread of fires.

Ms Horne said the better control of roadsideweeds and pests could potentially save farmers and economy millions of dollars each year

“We’resupporting local communities to reduce the spread of weeds and pests along rural roadsides that have the potential to wreak havoc on native plant species,” Ms Horne said.

Local Government Victoria and Agriculture Victoria will work closelywithlocal councilsto ensureweeds and pests aretackled appropriately in their local area.

The funding will help councils with many activities, including treatingand preventing regionally controlledand restrictedweeds, managing rabbit populations and community consultation.

‘Regionally controlled weeds’ are widespread in aregion, requiring landowners to prevent their growth and spread.

‘Restricted weeds’ areconsidered aserious threat in all statesand territories, and tradingthe plants, seeds or contaminated materials containing restrictedweedsis banned.

Next stop nationals

is ensuring local agricultural shows have a strong future, by including a new generation with fresh ideas to lure more people through the turnstiles.

The 28-year-old was named the Victorian Rural Ambassador at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show, representing the Central and SouthGippslandGroup and Foster Show.

Ms Pattinson now heads to the national finals in Tasmania in October next year, whereshe will spruik her involvement on the Foster Show committee.

“Local shows arewherepeopleand ideas can come together and showcase aregion. Every show has its own unique selling point,” Ms Pattinson said.

“The Foster Show is avery agricultural show, we ensure we can deliverfor the community as well.

“The Rural Ambassadors allowed me to put south Gippsland on the map, it’s a beautiful area and I’msoinspired to get the wordout about it.”

The RuralAmbassadoraward recognises young people with an interest in agriculture, and in particular the country show.

Participants arejudged on their involvement in their local show, rural knowledge, community involvement,ambitions,aswell as style and presentation.

Ms Pattinson had to answer aseries of interview questions and delivera short

speech to apanel of judges on how to luremorevolunteers into local show committees.

“Everyone had abrilliant take on the topic. Ispoke about the need for diversity and transparency and bringing in passion ate people,” she said.

“It’s really important that we adapt and step into the contemporary era while still looking back on tradition.”

Ms Pattinson grew up on aMacedon sheepand beef farm beforecompleting aBachelor of Science and aMasters in Animal Science.

She moved tosouth Gippslandtotake up ajob inbio security withAgriculture Victoria, and joined the Foster Show committee as an avenue to meet like-minded people.

One of her highlights was organising the Young Farmers Challenge,which was held at the Foster Show earlier this year with eight teams.

Teams had to plant atree, roll aswag or put up astrip grazing fence, with one team coming from Melbourne with no agricultural experience.

“This was exactly what we wanted, it was afun way for people to learnabout what we do day-to-dayinagricultureand our production systems,” she said.

“My local show empowered me to put on something different for the new generation, it’simportant for the older generation to trust younger people to step up.”

Fantastic fruit cake

ARETIRED chemistryteacherfrom Korrumburra has proven he can make Victoria’s most delicious tasty treats when he won the Rich Fruit Cake final at the Royal Melbourne Show.

Ross Crawfordhas been entering his home made fruit cakes in ag shows for the past 20 years,but this was the first time he had won at the highest level.

“Towin at the Royal was on my bucket list, to be honest it was agreat honour to represent the region, but therewas also a bit of pressure,” Mr Crawfordsaid.

“Familycooking was something Ienjoyed. It harks back to my roots and my mum’s cooking, grandma used to make fantastic Christmas pud, so this is apart of my heritage.”

Mr Crawford’s fruit cakes had been consistently cleaning up at the Korrumburra Show, but this year he qualifiedfor the Royal by winning regionally at the Central and South Gippsland level.

Contestants had to follow aset recipe and instructions, and although he would not divulge his secrets, he accredited a good

oven and mixing techniques to his success.

“Thefirsttime Icompeted,the judging notes said Ihad awrinkly bottom where the paper had crinkled up,” he said.

“Over time, my technique improved. I’m consistent in how Icut-up and mix the fruit, you need agood fruit distribution. Youcan’t just slap it together.”

Mr Crawfordsaid he grew up in atraditional “meat and three veg” family, and was allowed to “muck around” in the kitchen asakid,whereherefined his skills and became adab hand at deserts.

He said he also liked to produce agood pav and sponge, and lately had been playing around with rum and raisin fudge.

The father-of-four said his kids watched their dad in the kitchen and werenow the cooks in their own families.

“Ourfamily tradition was to sitat the dinner table and have ameal,bringing together the family and have aconversation. Ithink this is something people miss,” he said.

Mr Crawfordsaid he was now consider ing setting his sights on thecarrotcake division.

“I made one but it flopped so Ididn’t submit it. Thisismychallengefor next year,Ineed to solve the problem,” he said.

“I don’t know whether to retiregracefully at the top like a champion football player or keep going. Iwill think this through and maybe give someone else ashot.”

Agri-business app streamlines visitor management and worker safety for Gippsland dairyfarmers

ONSIDE, an app designed specifically for the agricultural industry, is being increasingly used by Australian farmers and growers to improve the way they manage staff, compliance and operations.

Agritech start-upOnside has around 45,000 registered users across avariety of agricultural sectors, including dairy, livestock, wine and horticulture.

The app provides agribusinesses with tools to simplify worker safety,manage compliance, and improve on-farm biosecurity practices and to make the management of on-site contractors easier

Built by farmers for farmers, the app simplifies arange of complex tasks to help save time and money while protecting lives and livelihoods.

Onside productivity tools include:

check-in and check-out

contractor

on-farm

control

co-founder and chief executive, Ryan Higgs understands the challenges of managing rural properties

the app was designed with the efficiency of Australian agribusinesses in mind.

“I experienced first-hand how difficult it was to keep track of who was on our farms, what they weredoing, and how to get in touch with them.” Mr Higgs said, recallinghis experience of running multiple dairyfarms that led to him starting Onside six years ago. “What started out as asimple checkin, visitor management and health and safety tool has evolved into acom prehensive operations app for all rural sectors that cuts down on paperwork

and provides crucial information on everything that is happening on the property

“Dairyfarms arereaping the benefits of Onside everyday,especially when thereare extra staffonthe property or regular visitors coming and going. The app allows managers to ensure everyone is accounted for and has been made awareofany hazards.

Farmers aretimepoor,and many find having critical operational information in the palmoftheir hand via our app allows them to focus on what they do best” he said.

Onside gives visitor management, traceability and OH&S systems a digital revamp.

This significantly reduces the paper based admin involved for record keeping requirements.

The platformisdesigned specifically for the agricultural industryand can be used in all rural sectors.

For moreinformation visit www getonside.com or call Onside, located in Melbourne on 1800 112 334

Benefits of feeding microwave forage

ANEW study has shown that feeding microwave heat-treated forage hay is moredigestible and can improve weight gain in sheep, according to University of Melbourne researchers.

The research team foundthat microwav ing lucerne hay improved digestibility by eight per cent, and could lead to improved weight gain by 15 per cent compared to non-treated lucerne.

However,the trial found other microwavetreated wheat hay did not show any effect when fed to sheep.

Forage hay is mostly fed to sheep in drought,summerand winter,but has comparatively lower digestibility than fresh forage.

Principal supervisor Paul Cheng said the team haddone some electron microscopic imagingof microwave-treated and nontreated hay.

“The result suggested thatthe hypothesis of microstructuredestruction due to microwave heat treatment is visible and significantly higher than the non-treated one,” Dr Cheng said.

“If you consider small numbers of sheep, the profit improvement duetofeeding microwave-treatedlucerne haylooks minimal, but the importance can be more visible when applied on farmscale, which is possible with higher microwave capacity.”

But the research group stressed that moretrials areneeded to further validate the findings.

“Research on microwave heat treatment of forage hay is still inthe initialstage,” Dr Cheng said.

“Despite this study showing microwave heat treatment to be effective for improving forage hay dry matter intake and

digestibility,alargenumberof trials is needed for further validation.

“However,this PhD project showed apath forfutureresearch in this area, particularly in microwave time and power selection.”

PhD scholar and researcher Md Safiqur Rahaman Shishir said microwave heat treatment was anon-ionic electromagnetic processingtechnology thatwas quick, energy-efficient, and safer to handle.

“Based on our literaturestudy and under standing, we have developeda hypothesis that microwave energy interacts with available inter and intracellularwater,” Mr Shishir said.

“Eventually it converts them into steam and creates pressureinthe cell wall that leads to cellular rupturecausesmicrostructuredestruction at the cellular level.

“Therefore,the accessibility to cell nutrients might be increased.”

Survey released by MLA showsinterest from city

MORE city folk want to learnmoreabout how the beef and lamb industries operate, with animal welfareand the environment at the forefront, according to Meat and Livestock Australia figures.

The MLAtracksconsumersentiment, with an annualsurveyusedtoaddress community concerns and build community trust in the redmeat industry.

Thesurveyfound nearly half of consumers areinterested in learning about how producers ensurethe humane treatment of their livestock and how they look after the environment.

The figures also found more than 60 per cent of city slickers had a “strong level of trust” in the Australian beef and sheep industries.

MLA managing director,Jason Strong, said this year’s consumer insights reflected agrowing desirefrommetroAustralia to understand moreabout how the industry works.

Mr Strong said this represents abig opportunity for the sector as higher levels of industry knowledgewerelinked to better perceptions.

“A greater understanding of our industry also has benefitsfor producers through increased demand,”

Mr Strong said.

“Consumers with higher levels of industry knowledge aremorelikely to have increased their redmeat consumption overall.

“This is because they understand the care and efforts undertaken by Australian cattle and sheep producers in raising their livestock and looking after the environment.”

The top three drivers of industry trust werethe perceptionsthat producers raised their animals ethically,listenedtocom munity concerns and took actiontoreduce environmental impacts.

“Similar tohow knowledge relatesto consumption, ahigher level of trust also corresponds to ahigher level of consumption,” Mr Strong said.

“Those consumers who had ahigh level of trust, weremorelikely to consume red meat morefrequentlythan those with lower levels of trust.”

The MLA surveyfound redmeatconsumption patterns had remained relatively stable in the past year,with respondents citing nutrition, taste and ease of cooking.

However,therewas a29per cent decline in redmeatconsumptiondue torising costs.

“The research significantlyinformsthe communityengagementand marketing activities that MLA undertakes on behalf of the redmeat industry,” Mr Strong said.

“Explaining our productions systems anddemonstratingthatour producers areethical and responsible custodians of livestock,land and natural resources helps to informthe community and strengthen an already proud Australian industry.”

Despite this study showing microwave heat treatment to be effective for improving forage hay dry matter intake and digestibility, alarge number of trials is needed for further validation.

PAUL CHENG

Northe grills Tierney on Opal supply

THE state government has only supplied 15-20 per cent of its promised wood pulp commitmenttoOpal Australian Paper in the past 13years, the governmenthas admitted.

Thefigures were tabled instate parlia ment by the Minister for Agriculture,Gayle Tierney, in response to aseries of questions from the IndependentMember for Morwell, Russell Northe.

The government’s 1996 agreement requires it to supply aminimum of 350,000 cubic metres of pulpwood eachyear between 2010-11 to 2029-30 to the Maryvale pulp and paper mill. This government amount makes up26per centofthe mill’s1.65 million tonnes of pulpwood, with six per cent coming from sawmill residues;the remaining 68 per cent is from hardwood plantations.

Ms Tierneytold parliament thatafter the 2009 bushfires, thegovernment reduced theannualsupplyof‘mountainforest’ pulpwood (mountain ash or alpine ash) to 265,000 cubic metres.

“The government continues to supply approximately 50,000 cubic metres of mixed species pulpwood under the agreement,” she said.

In June 2020, the agreement was varied to allow silvertop ash to be substituted for mountain forest pulp log. Silvertop ash is classified as ‘mixed species’ timber.

Ms Tierney said the variation provided for a proportion of as much as 40,000 cubic metres of mountain forest pulpwood to be substituted with silvertop ash for the period 2019-21 to 2023-24 inclusive.

“A number of other clauses in the agreement allow for variations,” she said. VicForestsmanagesthe supplyofpulpwood to the Maryvale mill on behalf of the Victorian Government.

Mr Northe pressed for information about which forest areassupplied the timber, butMs Tierney saidthe specific details of VicForests’ supply to the mill,including volumesand prices for supplyfrom different forest management areas, were “commercial-in-confidence”.

Queried on the impact ashortfall in supply would have on Maryvale, Ms Tierney said Opal was continuing to liaise closely with many of its suppliers, including VicForests and Hancock Victorian Plantations, “to

successfully maintain its operations”. Mr Northepushed forinformationonthe impactofthird-party litigationonnative timber harvestingover multipledecades. “Thirdparties have taken legal action under the Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014 as well as earlier versions of the code,” Ms Tierney said.

“In 2021and 2022, thegovernment varied the code and the Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 to create greater certainty regarding the code’s implementation.

Further public consultation has takenplace on additional amendments to the code that will come into effect in 2022.”

Queried on what impactthe litigation was having on direct and indirect jobs for forest contractors, Ms Tierney said contractors experiencing difficulties with stand-downs because of litigation “areencouragedto contact VicForests regarding the temporary support that isavailable fortheir businesses and their workers”.

Ms Tierney acknowledged that VicForests successfully appealed against the Federal Court’s May2020 decision in favour of the Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum action against VicForests.

“As other matters arecurrently before the courts with judgement reserved, Iwill not make any further comment,” she said.

Mr Northe asked what the Government wasdoing to ensuresupply in the face of unsuccessfullitigation. MsTierney said it was difficult to quantify the impact of unsuccessful legal actions, which typically involve temporary injunctionsthat are subsequently lifted. “VicForests updates its harvesting methods and locationsregularly in response to new research findings, bushfiresand other events. Legal cases also consider changes in the harvesting environment,” she said.

“As such, it is difficult to recreate the baseline scenario in which third-party litigation did not occur and coupes were harvested in asubstantially different order over an extended period of time.

VicForests has worked closely with contractors to minimiseemployment impacts.”

Forest contractors in Gippsland have currently no work and two mills in East Gippsland are runningout of timber because of legal actionbyenvironmentalists and decisions by the Supreme Court.

It’s OKAY to NOTBE OKAY

Answering the call

ORIGINALLYfromNSW,Sasha Wood has held various roles within family counselling in communities right around Australia, but it’sthe bush and beaches of East Gippsland that truly feel like home.

“I just fell in love with this country here, and kept coming back,” Sasha said.

“This is the thirdtime I’ve come back to live and work in East Gippsland.”

Now working with Flying Doctor Wellbeing -the mental health service of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Victoria -Sasha provides support to children aged 12 and under in the communities of Cann River and Mallacoota.

When Sasha commenced work in this region in March, therewas no consistently available face-to-face mental health services for kids.

However,owing to the Black Summer bushfires and the COVID-19pandemic, the need for dedicated support was undeniable.

“It was felt that therewas alot happening in the communities to support adults, but the kids’ voices and needs weregetting alittle lost,” Sasha explained.

With relationships already established in the community through their BushfireRecovery Counselling service, the Flying Doctor was well-placed to address this need, and was invited by the communities to offer asolution.

Theimportant featureofthisnew child mental health service is that it is embedded in the community

Sasha is able to visit beyond once amonth, and so can become invested in the area, and could thereforeassureparents that their child would receivecontinuity of care.

“I’ve heardfromafew families that because of the consistency and frequency with which I’ve been able to see their child, they’ve seen some real results at home,” Sasha said.

Over thepast six months, this service has been whole-heartedly embraced, notjust by parentsand caregivers, but by schools, welfareofficersand the entirecommunity

Perhaps most importantly though, the children themselves feel heardand supported.

“Anxiety is something we’renoticing alot in the kids, because of the fires, COVID and the changing natureofour world,” Sasha said.

“And for some of thekidsI’m working with, this might be the first time ever they’ve sat with aprofessional and really worked through what these last few years have been for them.”

Professional support can be astrong means to build back up strength and resilience in children and families, and as Sasha notes, even prior to COVID and the bushfires, there was many factors impacting the mental health of children living rurally and remotely

As such,with support being hardtoaccess in some of these regions, theongoing need for this service is palpable.

National Mental Health Month 2022

NATIONAL Mental Health Month is an initiative of the Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA) to advocate for and raise awareness of Australian mental health.

It is an important time wherethe Australian community comes together to raise awareness and promote better mental health for all.

Throughout this month, many events have been organised in each state of Australia

aiming to attract and unite Australians of all ages and backgrounds to raise awareness and promote better mental health for all.

The National Mental Health Month 2022 Awareness Campaign theme is: ‘Building Resilience: Communities and Connections’

To find out morevisit www.mhfa.org.au/cms/

It’s OKAY to NOTBE OKAY

‘A smile goes alongway’ on western Victorian farmwherepeoplecome first

CHATSWORTH House Pastoral’sSarah and TomWhinney want to leave apositive impact, not just on the land they farm, but on the people that work for them.

This is why they so passionately endeavour to implement and sustain apositive culture on their Chatsworth farm in westernVictoria, wherethey employ four full-time staffand a trainee, and have contractors come and go during busy times of the year

The Whinney’sand their team run amixed sheep and cattle operation on 2400 hectares, currently stocking 12,000 composite ewes, breeding prime lambs for the domestic market, and trading up to 500 cattle ayear.

And Mrs Whinney said that positive culturehad to come from the top.

“Wecaredeeply for the people in our team and try our best to look after both ourselves and those around us,” she said.

“So it’sineveryday conversations that the cultureisbased.”

She said the positive team camaraderie was constantly reinforced in regular staffmeetings, staffdinners,barbecue lunches, and what they call ‘fun day Fridays’ wherethey wear their flamboyant TradeMutt work shirts which are designed to start aconversation about mental health.

“Wejust try to make it fun, asmile can go a long way and the TradeMutt shirts aresuch a great initiative and help to keep mental health front of mind and it’sanother way of making sureyou have those conversations that matter,” she said.

“Wealsotry to maintain an open-door policy and try to be observant to pick up when someone’sfeeling abit off. Initiatives like RUOKDay areagreat conver sation starter as well.”

She said they liked to conduct in-depth meetings with their staffevery couple of months, wherethey asked them what their ‘people scores’ were.

“This is whereeveryone scores themselves one to 10 on how happy they arewith things like communication, stress, workload, personal effectiveness, if they arefeeling in control and work-life balance,” she said.

“Wethen have the conversations around how we can help bring those scores closer to a10.”

She said work-life balance was another aspect they encouraged their stafftoprioritise.

“Weare trying,where we can, to be flexible with days offand we also have aroster off weekend work during peak periods so that everyone gets achance to have some time away from the farm,” she said.

In amoreformalsense, the farm also has a full suite of policies on topics such as mental health, bullying and harassment, which have been developed with the help of Safe Ag Systems, and ensurestaff areaware of their rights and responsibilities just like they are when it comes to physical processes in the operation.

And Mrs Whinney said havinghappy,healthy workers who enjoyed coming to work was beneficial to the business too.

“Weare awareofthe interconnectedness of all things and want to make apositive impact,” she said.

“For example, if we have healthy people that areenjoying what they aredoing, it allows us to run agreat business.

This means we can build healthy soil ecosystems, grow healthy plants being grazed by healthy animals, which when all done well can also build carbon in the soil and help tackle climate change.

“Having agreat culturemakes it amore enjoyable place to work, which means less burnout and staffturnover,but also increases your ability to attract staff, and with ahealthy, happy team, it also allows us to workonthe

business, rather than constantly dealing with HR issues.”

Mrs Whinney said her best advice for other farmers looking to improve their workplace culturewas to look after themselves too.

“Because if you aren’tlookingafter yourself, you won’tbeable to help anyone else,” she said.

“Also, always be open to learning and know that even though you won’talways get it right, as long as you arepassionate about looking after yourself and those around you, and always trying your best, it will go along way.”

If you would like to learnmoreabout WHS andsupporting themental health of your team on the farm, get in touch with aFarmSafety Advisor at the Victorian Farmers Federation Making Our FarmSafer Project.

Our services areconfidential and free.

During aFarmSafety Visit our Farm Safety Advisors give you advice and proforma templates for toolbox talks and policy on matters such asbullyingand sexual harassment in the workplace.

Book afarm safety visit orlearnmoreat www.makingourfarmssafer.org.au

Spring Spraying Catalogue Out Now

SPRING is here!

leased a24-page Spring Spraying catalogue latest Spraying and Spraying accessories for the cover of the catalogue is the New 200L Motorized Sled Sprayer has been specifically designed for owners sides, whereoperators requireacompact yet powerful all round sprayer

Whether it is spot spraying or boom spraying the 200L sled unit delivers great performance and is ideal for spraying all agricultural chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides for weed management.

Multiple options arealso available in enhancing this sprayer

Silvan areintroducing the New Essentials Range of sprayers which have been designed for the home gardener to small acreage owner for general property maintenance.

The Essentials range is amoreaffordable priced product range with the Silvan stamp for quality, back up and support.

Whether you need asprayer for your roses or small trees or simply spraying some weeds around your property Silvan has everything you need.

New also to the essentials range is the 40L Spot Sprayer

This compact 40L sprayer has been designed to be an affordable solution for applying pesticides, agricultural and

horticultural herbicides for weeds insecticides to plants.

Features include an in-cab on/of switch. An adjustable nozzle which highlights acoarse pencil straight stream and afine mist spray and aspray gun clip to lid for storage.

Other members of the Essentials range include the new 1.5L Silvan pressuresprayer with aUV translucent for aclear view pressurerelief to depressurize sprayer befor

And the ew Portable Hand with agun storage of lance not in use and a non-spill filling lid and convenient use.

Be suretog the 24-page catalogue today or via silvan.com.

To find your www.silvan.com.au/find-a-dealer

Sweeter yields with BioGuano™ fertilisers

SEABIRDguano, the base forBioGuano liquid fertilisers, is acomplex, natural fusion of seabirddroppings, coral, fish and seaweed that has consolidated over thousands of years retaining arange of essential minerals and the vitality associated with its wild ocean origins.

BioGuano Commercial is an ideal flowering and fruiting fertiliser and arichsourceof plant-available calcium, phosphorus, silicon, trace mineralsand naturalplant growth stimulants in aliquid suspension concentrate.

BioGuano KMS is afortified version with extrapotassium, magnesium and sulphur to further support mid-seasoncropgrowth and maturity.

Green plants rely on photosynthesis, inor ganic phosphorus (P) and phosphorus-rich enzymes tocaptureenergyfromthe sun, producing glucose sugarsto build dry matter and synthesisea hugerange of biochemical compounds that make plants so important to us.

Over 95 per cent of the dry matter biomass and nutrition created on farms comes directly from the products of photosynthesis.

Afarmers’ income relies not only on the balanced nutritionprovided to crops but, just as importantly, how efficiently photosynthesisis progressing on adaily basis.

Understanding this paradigm shift,changes the wholefocus of crop nutrition towards doing everything possibletooptimise photosynthesis right up to harvest.

The power of BioGuanoliquid fertilisers is in the combination of extended phosphorus releaseand availablecalciumlevels that together help drive photosynthetic efficiency and nutrient-density.

Highly-efficient photosynthesis also provides additional energy and carbohydrates to support strong immune function and build plant resilience -the capacity of crops to tolerate stressorsthat placehuge demands on the production of abundant, nutritious food in a changing climate.

Resilient crops that arebetter equipped to handle environmental and biotic stress from

pests and diseases can divert energy and carbohydrate reserves into growth and yield rather than fighting for survival.

Extending phosphorus availability throughout the season is achallenge due to interactions between soluble phosphorus and major soil cations (aluminium, iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium).

Uptake of water-soluble phosphorus from conventional fertilisers can be as littleas10-20 percent of what is applied that year

These “fixing” reactionscreateinsoluble phosphate complexes shortly after applica tion, limiting availability to young crops and affecting yield and quality downstream.

BioGuanoliquidfertilisersnourish crops while avoiding incompatibility issues and lockups often found when mixing water-soluble phosphate and calcium fertilisers.

The reason is that BioGuano contains phosphorus (P) in three different forms that helps extend and enhancethe availability of this essential nutrient through the whole growing season.

Alimitedwater-soluble Pfractionhelps “kick-start” early development of the radicle and new root systems.

The majority citrate-soluble PinBioGuano is liberated by organic acids andphytases (enzymes) secreted by active plant roots and microbes living in the rhizosphere.

In this way, the citrate-soluble fraction provides plant-available Pthat responds closely to the plant’s expanding root system and increasing requirements during the season.

Produced inVictoria by Wholesale Horticultural Group Pty. Ltd., in state-ofthe-art, quality assured facilities, BioGuano fertilisers areAustralian Certified Organic, Allowed Input No. 13250.

For moreinformationabout BioGuano Commercialand BioGuanoKMS, please visitwww.bioguano.com.au or contact our agronomist, Steve Capeness, email steve@ whg.net.au.

BioGuano™

Mother Nature’sBestFertiliser

Thermal Xchange and Aquatech Hot Water Systems

MOST people have heardofhot watersystems –-but that’swherea lot of people’sknowledge of hot water ends.

When it’scold and the hot water system has died -it’snofun!

What exactly is aHeat Pump?

Traditional electric or gas hot water systems use these energies to simply heat cold water -think of alarge electric kettle that needs to heat and remain hot so you can have that hot shower whenever you like.

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Firstly,afan draws in the ambient air over the evaporator containing a liquid refrigerant.

The energy from this air is absorbed and turns the refrigerant into gas which is funnelled into acompressor wherethe pressureisincreased enough to heat the water

The gas then travels through aclosed loop in the water tank and transfers the heat into the water

Save Money on Electricity with Aquatech Heat Pump

Because of the high efficiency of the heat pump compared to traditional gas and electric hot water systems, installation of an Aquatech can be one of the most cost effective ways to reduce your household energy bills.

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Energy hub plan is in place

AGL has promised to accelerate its plans to turnLoy Yang into an industrial energy hub after it brought forwardthe closureof its Latrobe Valley power station by adecade.

AGL chiefoperatingofficer,Markus Brokhof,told The Express that the company stillintendedtocarryout its maintenance schedule at Loy Yang A, and had just employed six new apprentices.

Mr Brokhof said AGL would need the cash flow from operating Loy Yang Auntil 2035 to help finance its plans to build 12 gigawatts of renewablesand storage by 2036 and five gigawatts by 2030.

AGL announced last week it was getting out of thermal coal by the middle of next decade and wouldspend$20 billionon the transition.

Mr Brokhof saidthismoney would be distributed between AGL’s Latrobe Valley, Hunter Valley and the Torrens Island sites, to transformthem into low carbon energy hubs.

He said AGL would now focus on Loy Yang, after having concentrated its efforts on the next year’sclosureofLiddellinthe Hunter

“This needs to accelerate [at Loy Yang] because initially we werespeaking about a [closuredate] of 2045, this was quite some timetogoand therewas no need to rush,” Mr Brokhod said.

“Now there’s anew situationand we have to accelerate the development in the Latrobe Valley, but we arenot starting from scratch.”

Mr Brokhof said a200 megawatt battery at Loy Yang was underway, withfurther talks on the futureofthe Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project at the site.

He said AGL was planning to rehabilitate its mine by creating apit lake, but would prolong miningifany low-emissions industries wanted to use the coal.

There were also contractual obligations with AlintatosupplyLoy Yang Bwith coal, but Mr Brokhof stated this was a“complex agreement”thathecould not disclose to the press.

“Wewill not walk away from our rehabilitation obligations, but if other industries like the HESC consortium come forwardand want to use the coal, we will need achange in our mining licence,” he said.

“Wewill have discussions with the governmenthow we couldincorporate thisinto the futureplanning for the region.”

AGL alsoannounceditwas developing anational energy workforce strategy in conjunctionwith state andfederal governments.

Mr Brokhof said the company would assess theresources, workforce, reskilling programs and industrial partners needed to attractnew industries to LoyYang.

“Weare now getting all the people together to develop this strategy; it’s not only AGL that is transforming in the Valley, we have Hazelwood and [Yallourn],” he said.

“Therewill be astructural change away from coal to renewables and we needevery party,the community, Indigenous people, state and federal government to do this structural transition.

“Weare one stakeholder,we areanimpor tant stakeholder, but not the only one to do the structural transition.”

All govt must be involved: Chester

THE federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester,saidhewas “alarmed and disappointed” by AGL’s decision and was unconvinced therewould be enough reliableenergy in place bythe time Loy Yang Awas retired.

Mr Chester said he was also unconvinced that plannedrenewables would offer the same reliability and affordability as coal.

“Projects like offshorewind have potential but the turbines haven’t been built, approval hasn’t even been granted, and the transmission lines through private property to connect themtothe grid remain contentious,” Mr Chester said.

“I’m alarmed and disappointed that this decision has been made beforethereisany certainty thatthe national gridisableto make this transition to weather-dependent renewables in an orderly way.”

Mr Chester said the AGL decision, coming on top of the planned closureof Yallournpower station, would demand a co-ordinated and strategic response from all levels of government.

He also accused the state government of having “consistently refused to participate in previous discussions involving the Latrobe City Council and other elected representatives”.

“Thereneeds to be ahigh-level and

bi-partisantaskforce appointedimmediately with significant long-termfunding allocated to help our region managethis transition,” Mr Chester said.

“Hopefully this announcement by AGL will force Premier Dan Andrews to wake up and realise the direct threat to the social and economic future of theLatrobe Valley as business decisions aremadeindistant boardroomswithoutany consideration of local community impacts.

“I accept thereisanirreversible transfor mationunderway towardsmorerenewables, and less coal-fired power,but it must be done in away which respects our local communities and deliversareliable and affordable system.”

The federalEnergyMinister,Chris Bowen, said the federal government was working with the states on anational energy transformation partnership, including supporting new apprentices and skills.

Mr Bowen said the government’s Climate ChangeBillwouldprovide the “certainty that investors have been crying out for in order to invest inrenewable energy, transmission and storage projects”.

“Weneed to ensurethat these closures areproperly managed and that we invest in thefirmed, dispatchable renewable energy, alongwith storage and transmission, to replace the energy generation coming offline,” Mr Bowen said.

“As the prime minister has said on numer ous occasions, this is agovernment that will make surenoone is held back and no one is left behind, and that includes all workers through the transformation of our energy system.”

Loy Yang will have future, AGL insists

AGL has promised it will work with state and federal governments develop a national energy workforce strategy in light of its plans to close Loy Yang A by 2035.

The company is planning to get out of thermal coal by the middle of next decade after it had stated earlier this year it was closing Loy Yang Abetween 2040 and 2045.

The announcement was made as part of the company’sstrategic directions review, after plans to split AGL into two separate entities werecanned earlier this year

As part of the new plan, AGL will progressively decarbonise itsassets with 12 gigawatts of renewables and storage by 2036and an interim target of five gigawatts by 2030 at acostof$20 billion.

It stated the majority of this will come from wind and batteries.

The company has also doubled-down on its commitment to transforming Loy Yang, the Hunter Valleyand Torrens Island sites into industrial energy hubs.

AGL chair Patricia McKenzie said the company “will work with its broad stakeholder group to deliver these ambitious outcomes”.

“It is particularly important that we support our people who maintainand operate our coal-fired power station,” Ms McKenzie said.

“Wewill work with our people, representativesand governmentto help developthe skills and capabilities required for new andexisting industries as we progress to ensurethe transitioning energy sector is supportedby a skilled workforce.”

The early closurewill cut 200 million tonnes of emissions from Loy Yang A.

Ms McKenziesaid the coal closures represented “one of the most significant decarbonisation initiatives in Australia” and aligned with the Paris Agreement.

Incominginterim chief executive, Damien Nicks, stressed the early closure would “be akey source of value for our shareholders”.

Mr Nicks said therehad been mounting pressure from banks and equity investors for AGL to decarbonise.

“Wesee some of our international peers who aresuccessfullytransitioning to alower cost of capital and avaluation premium, in part because of their green credentials,” Mr Nicks said.

Neighbouring power station Loy Yang Bhas an agreement with AGL to mine the coal out of the open cut.

Aspokesperson for Loy Yang Boperator Alinta said it would “continue to consult with all relevant parties on the outlook for energy security andreliability in Victoria before announcing any change to our operation”.

Softwood plantings areonthe way

THE state government will spend $120 millioninadealwiththe private sector to establish14,000hectaresofsoftwood plantationsin Gippsland as part of the Victorian Forestry Plan, which aims to close the region’s hardwood native forest sector by 2030.

AgricultureMinister Gayle Tierney said the agreementwithHancockVictorian Plantations involved planting an extra 16 million trees to create a new forest estate.

She described the policy as the largest single investment in plantation establishment in the state’s historyand said it would underpin new and existing jobs.

HVP,one of the largest private plantation companies in Australia, will match the Laborgovernment’s investmentalmost dollar-for-dollar to buy, lease and manage the morethan 14,000 ha of softwood plantations.

Ms Tierney said the new plantations would boost supply to the construction sector and had the potential to bring international processors to the region.

Currently, Gippsland is almost 100-per cent dominated by hardwood processors.

Plantings of the softwoods will begin in 2023, subject to final approvals, and continue for 10 years. Softwood plantations normally take 30 years to grow to provide quality sawlogs.

All going well,theseplantations would maturebetween the early 2050s and 2060s.

HVP chief executive, Stephen Ryan, said it was one of the most significant plantation developments of the past 20 years.

“Wewill generate employment by producing an additional 1.5 million seedlingsa year at our Gippsland tree nursery, through land preparation and tree planting and by caring for the trees,” he said.

The NationalsLeader,PeterWalsh, slammed the policy as areplay of a$110-million investment, the Gippsland Plantations Investment Program, announced in 2020.

Mr Walsh, theOpposition spokesman on Agriculture, said the money had been sitting on the booksfor morethanthree years and had never been spent and had never produced any timber for Victoria.

“And two months out from astate election, they aretrying to patch up the absolute mess they have made of the timber supply in Victoria,” he said.

The government emphasised the plantations would help Victoria cut its greenhouse gas emissions, removingabout7.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in the next 25 years.

The chief executive of theVictorian Forest Products Association,Deb Kerr,welcomed the announcement.

“Victoria importsonaverage 36 per cent of its softwooddemand and desperately needs to securefuturetimber and fibresupplies.

“Thissupport to establish 16 million new trees is welcomed to close the current shortfall in sovereign timber supplies,” she said.

However,MsKerr said the investment was originally promised as the transition for the Gippsland hardwood industry.

“With plantings only expected tocom mence in2023, it will stillleavea future gap in harvestable timberand fibrefrom 2024,” she said.

Ms Kerr said HVP’s participation would enhance Gippsland’s standing as aplantation region of major importance, while providing immediate jobs in new plantings, tree and land cultivation, and management.

“It also opens opportunities in the farm forestry space, for locallandholders to participate,” she said.

Ms Kerr also welcomed the cutbacks in greenhousegas emissions thatthe new

plantings would provide.

Aconsultant’s report for the federallyfunded Gippsland Forestry Hub found that Gippsland has morethan one million hectares of land suitable for forest plantations.

Most of these areas’ suitability areclassed as ‘high’ to ‘very high’.

The report also noted thatincluding money from growing trees’ ability to sequester carbondioxidecould greatly improve the revenue from plantations.

However,itwarned that the Andrews Government’s policy to end native timber harvesting –despite growing demand for the timber –would continue to reduce local processing capacity.

“Loss of scale threatens the ability of manufacturersto compete in an open economy,” it said.

Spring firewood season ending next month

FIREWOOD collectors arebeing urged to responsibly source firewood this spring to help protect the state’s threatened native wildlife populations.

The spring firewood season runs until the end of November

The Conservation Regulator is warning that illegally cutting or removing trees for firewood is affecting the survival of species reliant on dry, dead hollow-bearing trees for habitat.

Victorians can help protect these speciesbysticking to designated firewood collection areas.

ChiefConservationRegulator,Kate Gavens, said the state’sforests were home to adiverse range of native species that rely on allpeople to source firewood responsibly

“This spring, we know Victorians willbe gathering their firewood, but it’s crucial that people follow the rules and don’t damage the forest homes of native wildlife to heat their own,” Ms Gavens said.

ConservationRegulator,Forest Fire ManagementVictoriacrews andParks

Victoria rangers arepatrolling state for ests, parks and reserves and will target

illegal firewood gathering.

Last year,officers issued 290 infringement noticesfor illegally removing firewood totalling nearly $84,300.

Officers can issue $740 fines to those caught breaking the rules, and serious offences can result in maximumpenalties of $9200 or up to ayear in prison.

If offences aresuspected of beinglinked to an illegal commercial operation, officers mayalsoseize chainsaws, trailers and vehicles.

Parks Victoria enforcement and regulatory services manager,Mark Breguet,

said the illegal removal of firewood had impacts that lasted for generations.

“It is critical for the protection of these areas that people onlygather firewoodfor domestic purposes and from designated firewood collection areas,” he said.

For details of where, when and what firewood can be collected, visitffm vic.gov.au/firewood/ firewood-collection-in-your-region

Report suspected illegal firewood col lection by calling 136 186.

Nukestudycall

AFORMERscientist with theState Electricity Commission, the Latrobe Valley’s Ray Burgess, has scathingly attacked AGL’s plan to close Loy Yang Astation by 2035, calling it “fairyland thinking”.

Mr Burgess,aMorwell businessman, was an independent candidatefor the seat of Morwell in the 2018 state election.

He received six per cent of the vote in a field of 11 candidates dominated by the Labor,National and Liberalparties and former National and independent, Russell Northe. He is not standinginthisyear’s election.

Mr Burgesssaid the big energy companies weretalking up apost-coal agenda without any seriousdiscussion about what was going to replace coal.

“They do not seemcapableofcomprehending or at least acknowledging the scale of electricity production these large thermo-mechanical powerstations gener ate,” he said.

Loy Yang Aproduces 2110 megawatts of electricity,YallournW1450MWand Loy Yang B1000MW

“If these areall gone by 2035, we arein serious trouble.

“They areliving in afairyland, thinking wind,solar, batteriesand pumped hydro will cover our First-World electricity requirements.”

Mr Burgess said sadly, this would result inalossofjobsand areduced standard of living for many Australians.

“Thisdoesnot include the blackouts and huge expenserequired to make agreen ‘new world’ energy system,” he said.

Mr Burgess said many people in the Valley understoodthe inadequaciesof agreen future.

“An 80-year-old widowand housewife commented to me, ‘I can’t see how it’s going to work’.

“Just aplain grandma with common sense practicality. She gets it,” he said.

Mr Burgess said if a low-carbon society was mandated by the voting public, “then we need to seriously be considering a nuclear future, and quickly”.

He cited areport he had studiedfrom the University of Queensland called ‘What would be required for nuclearenergyplants to be operating in Australia from the 2030s’.

It was written by ateam of scholars and studentsfromthe university under the leadership of ProfessorStephen Wilson, head of the Centrefor Energy Futures in the Faculty of Mechanicaland Mining Engineering, with input from other experts in Australia and overseas.

The Chancellor of Queensland University, Peter Varghese AO, wrote in the foreword that therewas no single answer to the question of the best combinationoftechnologies to provide reliable emissions-free electrical generation at affordable cost.

“Opinions will vary and differ.But if we are to have any chance of arriving at workable answers, we must be prepared critically to examine the various options,” he said.

Mr Varghese is aformer Australian Ambassador and High Commissioner; the former director-general of the leading intelligence group, the Office of National Assessments; and aformer secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

As a diplomat, Mr Varghese said he had always been interested in how nuclear energy could be used in asafe and affordableway withoutcontributing to the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

“As the country with the largest reserves of uranium in the world, these arequestions

which should be part of our public debate,” he said.

“Does it remain sensible for such acountrytoexport uranium but prohibit the safe use of this technology for itself?”

Mr Varghese said today’s modern, more compactnuclear engineering designs, especially smallmodular reactors, had reframed the traditional safety and security concerns of nuclear power.

“These aresome of thequestions this study examines,” he said.

Dr Wilson,who is now an Adjunct Professor, told the Express that the report did not advocate nuclear energy, was also

not anti-nuclear,but emphasised the question must be taken seriously.

“Wehave to preparefor the option whether we need nuclear or not,” he said.

“If in adecadefromnow we decide thatwe have to do it, it will not magically appear

It’s not aquestion of just repealing the ban on nuclear energy and nuclear plants will pop up like mushrooms.

“Weneed adisciplined,well-managed program of work to get there.”

Professor Wilson said it would take a minimum time of decade to achieve this.

“If we get our heads together,wecould be thereinadecade,” he said.

Visit USDA-certified

REPRESENTATIVES from theUnited StatesDepartmentofAgriculture have been given an insight into Gippsland’s dairy industry.

The smalldelegation,consistingof employeesbasedatthe US embassyin Canberra, werehostedby lobby group GippsDairyas they toured the region, examining innovativeand pioneering dairy practices.

GippsDairy regional manager Karen McLennan said the tour was aboutprovid ing the USDA with “a strong understanding of what makes Gippsland alittle bit unique, compared to other parts of Australia”.

As partoftheirtwo-day tour,the delegation visited the Ellinbank Smartfarm to observe itstechnology andresearch initiatives, the Burra Foods factory in Korumburra to learnabout its milk processors, and anumber of dairy farms large and small.

GippsDairy also used the visit to discuss how their products arepromoted in the US and further opportunities for trade.

It is the thirdsuch tour that GippsDairy

has hosted in recent weeks, with adelegation from Japan’s government having also visited the region.

Both the Japanese and American delegations havetoured Gippsland at aturbulent time for theagricultural industry, with the ongoing war in Ukraine having affected the global supply of various farming products.

But according to Ms McLennan, the dairy sector is faring better than most owing to the high milk prices, “which means that farmers aregetting paid well”.

“Obviously, thereare high import costs as well-whetherit’s fertiliser, whetherit’s grain… to keep animals producing well,”

Ms McLennan said

“But Ithinkoverall,it’s agood milk price, so some of that increase in income is offsetting some of those increases in cost as well.

“I think most (farmers) arefaring well, but if the milk price drops and the import costs still stayed high, Ithink that would make some people think about whether they wanted to stay in dairy.”

Having ended their brief stay in Gippsland, the USDA delegationhas since returned to Canberra.

Honour forMorwell custody officer

MORWELL police custody officer Carolyn Escreet has won the Victoria Police inaugural custody practitioner of the year award, something she says was “most unexpected”. Police custody officers (PCOs) areatthe frontlinewhenit comes to people in‘the lock up’.

Theyfeedthem, care for them, recommend if they need medical treatment and escort them to and from court hearings.

Morwellisone of regional Victoria’s bigger police stations and has the capacity to hold 10 people overnight.

Last Thursdayat7am therewerefive occupied cells.

PCOs wear badges, but arenot police officers, rather public servants tasked with looking outfor people whohavelanded themselves in apolice cell.

They wear grey, not blue and “we consider our grey as abit of abargaining tool also, people often don’t know why we’rehere”.

“You’reoften seeing people on the worst day of their life,” said Carolyn, “they’rein need of empathy and understanding -some of them at least.

“You see their highs and lows, sometimes people aresuicidal, it can be very confronting, but if you’ve talked someone around, then you’ve shared something with them, it’s avery privileged position to have.

“I’m both lucky and privileged, Ialways had parents who cared for me, werethere for me, took me to sport, travelled for sport, Ihad agood family life -a lot of people are not so lucky,” she said.

Whileapportioningblameisnot part of her role, as aparent to four children and grandparent to another four,she feels the pain of an individual’s failure.

“Heyfield-bornand bred” Carolynwas among the first intakes of PCOs. In youth she’d had aspirations of becoming apolice officer,but university, marriage, ahome, children and acareer as an accountant intervened.

PCOsfirst arrived in Victoria in 2016, when studies identified taking police officers away from the daily responsibility for people in cells meant moretime for policing.

Carolyn undertook eight weeks of intensive training at Victoria’s Police Academy then debuted in Morwell in 2017.

Since thenshe has become asupervi sor andisauthor of guidelinesavailable to police officers, who don tget thelevel of training aPCO does when it comes to handling people in custody.

The guidelines and achecklist for police officers came in a‘light-bulb’ moment at an annual conference of PCOs; they’renow available for use by all police officers.

Empathy is arecurring theme in Mrs Escreet’s description of what she does.

“Family violence, opportunistic theft and drugs,” she says, when asked the most commonreason people end up in one of Morwell’s cells.

The drug ice lands alot of people in a

lockup,somewherethey never would have been but for their use of the drug.

“Sometimes you see the same people, you watch their demise, their ever-diminishing bodies, they diminish in size and behaviour, and you’rewitness to it,” she says sadly.

“Sometimeswhenthey comein they don’t recognise you, they might literally run around the cell for hours, cutting tiny laps, then becometired and sleep -and sleep sometimes we have to wake them up to make surethey eat.

“Then, once they’ve made it through that phase, they recognise you and are glad to see afamiliar face.”

Because of the confronting natureofthe role, it is astruggle to find people prepared to do it.

Everything is reported, every meal, whether aperson refuses to eat, if they’ve been visited by alegal representative, whether someone has dropped offclothes for them,ifthey’revulnerable, whether they’ve been searched, every single event is documented.

Sometimes people don’t even make it from the police divisional van to acell; should a PCO determine they’reinneed of medical attention, they can be diverted to hospital immediately.

In Gippsland just Bairnsdale, Sale and Morwell police stations have PCOs, across the state that extends to Mildura,Horsham, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong.

On any given day, therecould be as many as eight PCOs in Morwell court accompanying prisoners. A shift’s full complement is 22 PCOs and six supervisors.

There arefour shifts daily,there’s 9am-5pm, 7am-3pm, 3pm-11pm and 11pm-7am.

“We’relow on numbers at the moment and we’ve had police coming in,” said Carolyn, explaining it was discussing obviouspolice training deficiencies with aduty sergeant that seeded her checklist and guidelines concept.

It’s not ajob for everyone, but can be abeginning for someone who aspires to becoming apolice officer

“They can dip their toes in the water,” Carolyn said.

She recommendssome previous work or world experience for someone contemplating the role because “we regularly get abused, but then we had alass in who’d worked at Woolies and she was fine, saying ‘Wealways got abusedatWoolies,this is nothing’”.

Traralgon, Moe, Warragul, Wonthaggi and Korumburra arethe ‘feeding pools’ for Morwell station, which hasclass ‘A’ cells suitable for overnight detention, cells that PCOs also have to clean.

“We’ve been complimented on the cleanliness of our cells when bosses have come downfromMelbourne,”saidCarolyn, obviously taking pride in one of the more mundane roles she’s expected to perform.

She mentions protecting people’s human rights in the same sentence as discussing whereit’s okay to take aphotograph and cleaning cells.

PCOs arealso responsiblefor signing weapons in and out for police officers, and detainee searches.

There’s general searches and then there’s full searches, reserved for those with a weapons or drug history.

“Everythingisoncamera,” she said, the full searchesare even on camerafor posterity’s sake “if there’s acomplaint, but they aren’t broadcastfor whoever might be walking by to see”.

Carolynsaid COVID had changed the justice system, and now audio-visual hear ings were possible, which was agood thing.

“At least now you don’t have people transported from Melbourne appearing in court hereand being released without any of their worldly possessions and with nowheretogo,” she said.

PCOsalso escort peoplebeing released to Centrelink to access whatever benefits might be available to them.

Deaths in custody -it’s aconversation stopper,even between two people who know the topic will inevitably be breached.

“Wehavenever hada deathincustody in Morwell,” said Carolyn, quiteproud of the record and oneshe’sdetermined to maintain.

Carolyn Escreet is one of our community’s unsung heroes.

She still lives in Heyfield and was president of the Heyfield Football Netball Club for eight years and also does part-time work for Ambulance Victoria as acommunity officer

At Heyfield, acommunity officer for Ambulance Victoria could find themselves deployed as far afield as Licola, administering emergency-response medicine, stabilising patients and feeding paramedics en-route situation reports, filling them in about what to expect.

Next year will markadecadeinthatrole

My husband says I’m aglutton for punishment.Tomorrow’s my day offand I’ve got a12-hour Ambulance Victoria shift.

“I do it for the community,” she said.

ANYONEwho’s ever been involved in organised sport, of any kind at any level, knows that its ongoing function depends entirely on the work of volunteers.

Nowhere is thismoreonshow than at one of my all-time favourite destinations, agame of country footy. There’s the person on the gate who takes your money as you drive in,usually accompanied by netball girls selling raffle tickets to raise money for the club.

Youfind agoodspot on the boundary (might take afew laps) and pull in.

As spring approaches, you may notice the grass is freshly cut, the boundary line and other white lines needed for the game areclearly and recently marked.

Across the ground you can see that the beer booth and the canteen aredoing a brisk trade.

Thereare volunteers everywhereyou look, and for the most part, their contribution is short termongame day, done willingly to help the club along. Some may take it alittle further,perhaps coaching the juniors for afew seasons while their kids areinvolved, and then thereare aselect few who take the act of voluntary service to alevel that you can only describe as extraordinary.

Suchisthe case withlong-time Glengarrycouple,Doug andBetty Timmins,who between them have life membership of no less than seven local sporting clubs and community organisations.

This fact on its own is pretty impressive,but it doesn’t come close to afull reckoning of what Doug and Betty have given to sport in their town.

Married in 1978, both arenow in their 80s and have ceased active involvement in sport, but each have clear memories and arekeen to talk about their stories, which Iquickly realise arequite distinct from each otherand need to be told separately.

Today it’s Doug’s turn; Betty’s story will be the subject in the next appearance of this column.

Doug was raised on asmall acreage in Toongabbie, whereheand his two brothers helped their Dad with the cows and attended Toongabbie Primary School.

In 1956 the family moved to alarger farmthat many readers today will know; it’s right next to the Eaglehawk Creek Bridge on the Glengarry-Toongabbie Road, wherethe homestead and milking shed arequite close to the roadway.

Doug had farming in his blood, and he alsoloved playing cricket and footy in

the playgroundatschool and at home with his brothers. However therewas no organised sport for kids until 1956, when an under 16 footy competition was started and Glengarry entered ateam.

Doug joined like a shot, and in his first year shared the league best and fairest with local identity Spike Jones.

He had also started playing cricket, and after acouple of years he found that the redball game blended moreeasily with the life of adairy farmer,and turned his full attention to the Glengarry cricket team.

It was the beginning of along, unbroken, whole-hearted act of service to the club on and offthe field, all of it marked by Doug’snaturalhumility andquiet determination.

He soon became aregular member of the Agrade side, and though not aflashy player,hewas areliable team member with bat and ball.

No tearaway fastbowler,Doug was awily medium-pacerwho couldmove the ball, ever looking for weaknesses in an opposition batsman’stechnique, especially ones who looked set for abig score.

Having watched them for afew overs, he would pitch one up in just the right spot, therewouldbeabig swing, askied ball, and aset batsman trudging back to the sheds.

With bat in handhewas hard to dislodge, and agood man in tight situations, often making runs when they were most needed. He was part of many long partnerships that turned things in the favour of the team.

He lovedthe cut shot, but it could also be his weakness, as he sometimes

lofted it early in his innings. Waking up to this, some opposition teams would put two gullies in position as soon as Doug came to the crease, which often became asource of mirth for both teams as time went on.

He quickly established himself asan essential member of the team; they loved having him,and he loved just beingthere. He felt deep loyalty to the club that had given him ago as ayoungster,and wanted to help them in any way he could.

In the long years that followed, Doug filled just about every position possible in acountry sporting club.

He first played at 15 and retired at 77 after his 703rd game, the majority of which weretwo-day games overconsecutive weekends.

Along the wayhecaptained the A,B and Cgrade teams, winning three flags, and was namedclubchampion on 12 occasions.

On the field Doug was an astute, inclusive captain, and while he always had his own plans in mind, he would listen to suggestions from his team on field placings, bowling changes and the like.

If agame was all but decided, he would take the chance to give some of the lesser (often younger) players afew overs with the ball, or apromotion in the batting order,and if they had any success, like aboundary or awicket,hewould be loud in his approval.

All this made the game enjoyable for the whole team, who readily unified behind Doug’s leadership, and they became hard to beat.

Doug sought always to play to his best, but with respect for his opponents and thegameitself. If given out when he had

not hit the ball, he would not question the decision,orlookatthe umpirein disbelief, but just walk quietly offthe ground.

The teams he led borethe hallmarks of this approach, and over the years he gathered ahigh level of respect towards himself way beyondhis own club, and held by few others in the local game.

He was akeen student of the game and loved nothing better than to help young and/or new players improve their game.

As such he was anatural fit for coaching juniors, arole he filledatthe clubfor 17 years.

He held many administrativeroles at the club; president for eight years, secretary for 18 years, treasurer for eight years, and, not surprisingly, he is alife member

He was also vice president of the Traralgon District Cricket Association, and is alife member of that association.

Dougwas also amember of the Glengarry RecreationReserve Committee, which he served for 27 years as acurator of the grounds, undertaking major projects including installationand maintenance of aturfwicket on the main oval,and creation of asecond oval (which now bears his name) on the north side of the reserve, for junior and school cricket.

Fellow team members remember Doug spending many unpaid hours on his tractordoing this work,often at night with spotlightsbecauseapparentlyitwas easier to get the levels right.

In 1999 he was honoured to receive a Commendation AwardfromTraralgon Shirefor services to the community.

Nowadays his main involvement with the club is to watch the footy and cricket teams on game day, and catch up with his many friends, who all speak of him with reverence, affection, and great respect.

In the club rooms wherethey gather, the honour boards arecovered with his name.

Imust confess to being in awe of Doug’s mighty contribution to his hometown through cricket, not only for the astonishing length and breadth of his service, but also for the gentlemanly, mild-mannered way he has conducted himself the whole way through, and all of it free of charge.

And it amazes me that, despite taking akeen interest in local cricket and footy since arriving in the Valleyin1974, until writing this article, Ihad not even heard of Doug Timmins.

But perhaps Ishouldn’t be surprised, because he is aquiet man who has never sought acknowledgement.

All he ever wanted was to see the looks on the boy’s faces when they had a win, and to know that he had been part of it.

Storage critical for targets says AEC

THE state government has announced a bioenergy projectata farminGippsland as partof new energystoragetarget that it says will power about half ofVictoria’s homes at their peak energy use.

Victoria willreach a2.6 gigawattsof renewable energy storage capacity by 2030,withanincreased target of 6.3GW of storage by 2035.

Theseare the biggest storagetargets in Australia, the government says, and areexpected toprovide $1.7 billionin investment from 2023 to 2035.

The state government has also announced $19.3 million for two bioenergyprojects,one inGippsland

and another in Barwon from its Energy Innovation Fund.

It comesasthe governmentisalso providing $7 million for a100MW battery and inverter in Terang, and $119 million for a125MW big battery and grid-forming inverter between Bendigo and Red Cliffs.

Yarra Valley Waterwill receive $11.9 million to install an electrolyser to make renewablehydrogenusing recycled water in Wollert.

Premier DanielAndrews said Victoria was already the renewable energy capital of Australia.

“And now, we’ll have the biggestenergy storage targets in the countrytoo,”Mr Andrews said.

“We’vecut emissions by morethan any

other state, tripled theamount of renewableenergyand created thousands of jobs. We’renot just talking about climate action –we’regetting on with it.”

The announcement was welcomed by Environment Victoria, which urged the Commonwealth to get on boardwith a national storage target.

EnvironmentVictoria chief executive, Jono La Nauze,was also hopingthe target could be scaled up to provide for 100 per cent renewables “as soon as possible”.

“Until now however,therehas been no overarching plan to coordinate public and private investmentinstorage capacity at either at the state or federal level,” Mr La Nauze said.

“Sensibleenvironmental policy

shouldn’t belong just to one side of politics.”

The Australian Energy Council said it would be looking at how the target would be rolled out to make sureitwould not affectany capacitymechanisms thatthe states signed up to ensuregrid reliability.

AEC corporate affairs general manager, Ben Barnes, said the announcement acknowledgedthat new investmentin storage would be critical to asuccessful energy transition.

“It’s important that the target’s design sends the right signals to attract market investment, and does not detract from a national, competitiveapproach to deliver ing reliable energy,” Mr Barnes said.

PHN spots gaps in Gippsland’s services

IN 2020 alone, general medical practices in Gippsland provided14,975referrals for psychology, inferring that use of local mental healthservices is at an all-time high.

Morethan $16 million was invested in mentalhealthservices across the region in the 2021/22 financial year,with Gippsland Primary Health Network reporting more people areaccessing mental health services than ever before.

Gippsland PHN disclosed that the number of clients assessing Gippsland PHN-funded Primary Mental Health careservices increased from 2516 in 2019/20 to 4659 clients in 2020/21.

Gippsland PHN’s priority issues papers, releasedlast week,revealed that22per cent of Gippslandgeneral practice patients had an active mental health diagnosis in 2022, with an estimated 9000 Gippslanders suffering from aseveremental illness.

Theyalsorevealedthatmorethanhalf of presentations to adoctor in secondary schoolclinics wererelatedtomentalhealth issues.

Gippsland PHN chief executive, Amanda Proposch, said the two priority issues papers provided valuable data on mental

health and wellbeing across the region and informed service commissioning.

“Our aim is for the commissioning process to be informed by best practice and through consultation with people who have lived experience,” Ms Proposch said.

“Programs are delivered ina waythat meets needs and aimsto improve the overall health and wellbeing of people living in Gippsland.”

Despite the substantial injection into mental health services across Gippsland, significant gaps and access to timely and affordable mentalhealth services across Gippsland, including psychology and psychiatry, remain fundamental issues.

“Werecognise the importance of mental healthand wellbeinginour community, and we arecommitted to ensuring people can access the most appropriate services for their mental health needs at any given time,” Ms Proposch said.

The DepartmentofHealth isexpected to publish aMental Health and Wellbeing Statewide Service and Capital Plan by the end of the year,with regional plans set to follow by the end of 2023.

FurtherinformationonGippsland PHN’s newestpriorityissues canbefound at https://gphn.org.au/resources/.

FAST DAIRYCLEAN UP

VICTORIAN dairiesare the largest producersofdairy products in Australia.

That means, they need to be the most efficient.

The ‘need to clean’ is constant and of paramount importance to the quality of the product they produce.

Australian Pump has worked with dairy farmers from Gippsland and around the country to develop a range of high pressurehot water and steam cleaners, particularly suitable for dairy applications.

HOT WATER ADVANTAGES

CLEANING with hot water and steam has three major advantages.

MORE EFFICIENT -can cut cleaning times by up to 75 per cent.

MOREHYGIENIC -reducesbacteriaand virus counts left on surfaces.

MORE SUSTAINABLE -gets the job done faster using less water and less chemicals.

Aussie’s SizzlerHot Wash, the Sizzler,designed in Australia, is ahigh pressurehot wash machine, delivering1800psi (130bar) ofpressure,with a flow of 10 lpm.

With amaximum temperatureof80° C, the machine has provedpopular for both dairy washdown and forcleaning other farmequipment!

“Using hot water to clean away oil and grease from machinery is not only faster,but it helps to identify hydraulic leaks prior to service facilitating less equipment downtime,” said John Hales, Aussie Pumps Chief Engineer

The Aussie Sizzler Hot Wash is compact in design and easy to move with four flat free tyred wheels.

Althoughitweighs 100 kilos, it’s manoeuvrable with an integrated handle and full stainless steel cover

Underneath thatshiny stainless steelexterior, thereisa heavy duty four pole (slow speed) 1,450 rpm single phase 240 volt motor

That motor drives atop quality Italian triplex pump with ceramic pistons.

The machine is loaded with safety controls, designed to protect the machine and operator

It has delayed total stop, adevice that stops the machine 30 seconds after the gun trigger is closed.

This saves fuel and can prevent accidents.

“Wereally gave this machine everything we had in terms of ultimate design criteria”, said Hales.

“Wecan offer arange of high pressureaccessories that can improve cleaning efficiency even further, like hose reels, turbo guns and foamersfor applying cleaning products”, he said.

The company believes that using a Sizzler with it engineering innovations can help dairy farmers save money, operatemoreefficiently, but alsointhe most hygienic manner

John Dawson, from Smithton in Tasmania, bought one of the first machines in the range afew years ago, John has aherdof650 cows and milks them twice daily.

His experiences withthe Sizzler areall totally positive.

He reports the machine hasn’t blinked since he’s got it and he’s very happy with the results in the dairy.

STEAMER OPTIONS

THE Sizzler is just one of aseries of great Aussie products designed for the dairy industry.

Australian Pump alsooffers bigger three phase steam cleaners with temperatureratings up to 130 degrees C.

These bigger machines areavailable in apressure range of 3000 and 4000 psi, making them suitable for even ahigh producingdairy or milk processing plant.

FIRE PREVENTION

HUGE FUEL LOAD READY TO BURN

WITH one million-plus homes in the urban interface around Australia’s major capital cities and outskirts, it’s critical that we start preparing for the coming summer

Lessons in the past have taught us that acombination of global warmingand

consistently higher temperatures mean we can reasonably expect another catastrophic fireseason, especially with the heavy rain generating huge fuel loads.

Australian Pump Industries is preparing to double its production of high pressure

firepumps and to send out tens of thousands of Bushfire Survival Guidesearly this year

“Weknow that the volunteer brigades aredoing the best they canall around the country”, said Aussie Pumps Product Manager Brad Farrugia.

“There’s no way they can contain or even back burnthe huge amount of fuel.

The fuel load is now bigger than ever, thanks to the recent rain”, he said.

The BushfireSurvival Guide is continuously updated by Australian Pumpbased on the feedback from fireauthorities and users.

It shows how to prepare house,farm, outbuildings and even dealswith crop and stock protection.

Properties around powerlinesare particularly susceptible.

Power companies like Ausgrid arealready using two helicopters and drones to identify potential hazardsfor preventative action against powerline generated fires.

People livingonwhatthe CFA call the ‘Urban Interface’ know thatliving amongst the gum trees has never been more dangerous.

Preparation needs to start beforethe fire season hits.

Aussie’sfiresurvivalguide is agood start.

At least then, the pre-warned homeowner or farmer can take the necessary precautions based on the‘lessonslearnt’from the past.

AustralianPump’s FireChief and Mr T twin impeller firepumps really performed in previous fireseasons.

“Theproduction teamhavebeen magnificent!

They put their heart and souls into getting those pumps built and shipped promptly.

Even after thoseextraordinary efforts, we couldn’t produce enoughproducts to satisfy demand in 2019/20”, saidFarrugia.

“The reason people loveour firepumps is because of the five year warranty and the quality of their components.

We don’t skimp on materials, design or engineering.

We put everything we have got into this productbecausewerelate to the people whose properties and lives aremaybe on the line”, he said.

Further information on the Aussie Fire Chief and the AussieSurvival Guide range can be found on the website at www.aussiepumps.com.au or call

Australian Pump Industries on (02) 8865 3500

Cattle Market

Cows

GrownHeifer

0-540D,2

Yearling Heifer

330-400D,2

GrownSteer

500-600 C,3522

C,4510

Yearling Steer

3180

TotalYarding:223

Carcass

East Sale Airport 22.8 mm

Hogan Island 39.2 mm

Latrobe Valley 55.8 mm

Mount Baw Baw 183 mm

Mount Moornapa 77.4 mm

Wilsons Promontory87.4 mm

Yanakie 48.6 mm

Yarram Airport 42 mm

Bairnsdale 43.2 mm

Combienbar 158.4 mm

Gabo Island 55.2 mm

Gelantipy 101 mm

Lakes Entrance 56.6 mm

Mallacoota 56.2 mm

Mount Nowa Nowa 81.8 mm

Omeo 87.2 mm

Orbost 100.6 mm

Mount Hotham 117 mm*

Pound Creek 57.8 mm

Wonthaggi 68 mm*

3347.5

3562.6

3921.5 4064 3960.5

C,2348

C,3371

348 -55.0 644.4 1966.2 1966.2 1966.2

375.3 -14.7 647.1 2926 44253711.7

354354 354 NQ 667.92442.62442.6 2442.6

Cows 400-520 D,2360

362 -15.5 770.2 1638 18981792.4 520+C,3 431431 431 NQ 828.82887.72887.7 2887.7 520+D,4 408430 423 4.6 832.82607.13145 2778.8

VealerSteer 330+B,2 510510 510 NQ 910.7 1774.8 1774.8 1774.8

YearlingSteer 400+B,2 480480 480 NQ 827.6 2496 24962496

GrownSteer 500-600 C,3469 469 469 NQ 852.7 2734.3 2734.3 2734.3 600-750 C,4450 450 450 NC 818.231953195 3195 Grown Heifer 0-540 D,2359 359 359 -25.0718 1418.11418.1 1418.1 540+D,4 410425 420 -12.0787.5 2480.52975 2810.2

Yearling Heifer 400+ D,3 470 470 470 10.0 870.42387.62387.6 2387.6 400+ D,4434 462 454 NQ 840.7 2213.4 2351.6 2312.1

Massey FergusonMF 6S Series

MASSEY Ferguson, aworldwide brand of AGCO (NYSE: AGCO), is proud to announce the launch of the new MF 6S Series in Australia and New Zealand.

Compact, powerful, and versatile

FIVE four-cylinder tractors, from 135hp to 180hp (150hp to 200hp with EPM) offer the same outstandingperformance characteristics as the MF 6700 SSeries, which they replace.

Supreme cab comfort and control

NEW air conditioning keeps the cab cooler,while other changes now make it also aquieter (70dBA) workplace.

Operators benefit from anew, more comfortable, standardair-suspended seat.

Aheated seat option, with real leather trim and improved ventilation,is equipped with DDS –Dynamic Damping System with lateral stability suspension that responds automatically to the sever ity of the bumps.

Anew armrest is linked to the seat, containing everythingoperatorsneed to operate the engine, transmission, hydraulics, linkage and PTO as well as switches for the radio and phone.

Further options include the mechanical or active mechanical cab suspension, and asuspended front axle.

Loaderoperators will welcome the Visio Roofoption, which greatly improves vision for handling work, providinga clear view of the load through the lift range.

Comprehensive single lever control

ALL main tractor functions arerun from asingle new Multipad, ISOBUScompatible controller

This easy-to-use lever includes anew linkage control rocker switch, cruise settings, driving mode pre-sets and MF Guide activation.

It also houses amicrojoystick to control two electric spool valves.

Amultifunction joystick option offers convenient control of the optional loader or front linkage.

This not only operates the spool valves, but alsoenables operators to change direction and control the tractor speed.

Touch-screen operation

WITH its 9” touch-screen’s anti-glare surface, it provides easy access to new short-cut keys.

With its tablet style operation, it enables operators to access and change settings quickly and easily.

It not only managesall the tractor functions but also all MF Technologies including MF Guide, with its fast set up ‘Go Mode’ function, as well as MF Section and MF Rate Control as well as MF Task Doc data.

Also new is an option that enables the radio and mobile phone and play media to be operated through the Datatronic 5screen.

For further operating flexibility there is also the updated Fieldstar 5terminal option, which enables operators to run all the smartfarming operationsona separate screen.

Powerful engine performance

ALL MF 6S tractors arepowered by the latest technology AGCO Power engines, whichdeliver maximumpower from 135hp to 180hp, with apower boost of between 15hp and 20hp, depending on model.

Torque also rises with the boost –by up to 40Nm on the largest MF 6S 180.

Massey Ferguson’s renowned

‘All-in-One’ SCR systemensures the engines meet the strict Stage Vemission standards.

Toptransmission choice

TOP transmission choice on all models includesseamlessshiftingfromthe Dyna-VT Super Eco, or the renowned MasseyFerguson Dyna-6Super-Eco, semi-power shift with Auto Drive.

Bothtransmissions come with the unique MF Power Control lever on the left-hand side of the steering column, which provides clutchless shuttling, with an adjustable response.

It alsoshifts speeds up or downand selects neutral.

Dyna-VT continuously variable transmissions arenow equipped with anew Automatic Mode.

Simply activated with aswitch on the armrest, auto mode allows the operator to adjust forwardspeed with the Multipad lever or the foot pedal, while the engine speed is automatically regulated according to the load and speed.

The hand throttle now also sets alower engine speed limit –with rpm never dropping below this limit.

Dyna-6 Super Eco 24 x24semi-power shift transmission, achieves atop speed of 40km/hr at alow 1,500rpm and saves fuel.

Auto Drive automatically shifts speeds relative to the engine load and speed.

ASuper Creeper option provides precise control with speeds down to 70m/hr at 1,400m/s.

All MF6S tractors alsoprovidethe useful brake-to-neutral function, which also disengages drive when the brakes areapplied.

Strength withagility

BUILTonstrong foundations and a 2.67m wheelbase, the MF 6S Series’ compact dimensions make the tractors highly

maneuverable, with aturning radius of just 4.75m –the tightest available from any 200hp tractor

Weighing 400kg less than their sixcylinder equivalents, coupled with the powerful engines, the tractors offer the best in-class power-to-weight ratio, treading lightly to protect the soil.

Able to handle heavy payloads with a Gross Vehicle Weight of up to 12,500kg.

AsubstantialGross Combination Weight of 44.5t meanstheycan also safely and legally* haul heavy loaded trailers (* depending on local road laws).

With up to 9600kg rear linkagecapacity and powerful, 110 litre/min closed-centre load-sensing hydraulics, the tractors will handle and operate awide range of large, modernimplements with ease.

For those requiring moreflow thereis a150 litre/min option Dyna-6 models, while Dyna-VT tractors come with a190 litre/min option.

Loader specialist

TO further improve loading performance, they can also be equipped with 150 litre/ min or 190 litre/min hydraulic options and Visio Roof that enables operators to see the load through the lift range.

The unique Multifunctionjoystick makes it simple to control theloader,also providing anothershuttle option,aswell as theabilitytoadjust the tractor speed.

Anew bucket ‘shake’ facility automatically operates spool valves to assist filling and emptying the bucket or fork.

Further easing operation is the new E-Loaderoptionfor tractors equipped with aDatatronic 5terminal.

Formoreinformation,visit www.AGCOcorp.com

Quality milk starts with clean forage

WHILE performance, reliability, easeof maintenance and cost areall top of mind when making purchasing decisions about forage harvesting machinery, the production of high-quality fodder should always be the focus.

CLAAS Harvest CentreRegional Branch Manager,DallanClark,saysone of the foundations of producing quality fodder is reducing contaminationduringharvesting operations.

“This is whereCLAAS ‘Greenline’ forage harvesting technology comes into its own,” he says.

“CLAAS is recognised as aworld leader in forage harvesting technology,manufactur ing an integrated range of mowers,tedders and swathers.

Every modelisdesigned to keep fodder clean at each step of the harvesting process, which in turn, lays the foundation for the next harvest by protectingpastures and ground cover.”

CLAAS DISCO mowersare available in morethan 30 front-mounted, rear mounted, combination and trailed models with operating widths from 2.2m through to 10.7m.

All areequipped with the award-winning MAX CUT mower bed.

MAX CUT has set thestandardfor chop quality,ultra-smoothrunningand fuel efficiency since its introduction in 2014,” Dallan says.

“Its innovative design enables the large drive sprockets of the mowing discs to be placed well forward, ensuring maximum possible overlap and surface area with multiple teeth engaging at two points.

The uniformspacingbetween the discs ensures aconsistent cut.

The wave-shaped mower bed is forged from asinglepieceof5mm thick steel profile, which in conjunction with the skids, creates adirt-repellent tunnel effect.

The especially hardened insertsare

shapeddifferentlytoaccommodate the mowing discs as they run together and apart.

This design provides ashear bar for an effectivecut and maximumoverlapfor optimum crop flow without clumping.”

ACTIVEFLOAT integratedhydraulic suspension ensures mowers adapt perfectly to ground contours for clean mowing.

The suspension pressurecan be adjusted during operation using asingle-acting hydraulic service,” Dallan says.

Thereisminimal ground pressurewhen the floatation pressureis correctly set, which reduces skid wear,dirt contamination of the forage as well as reducing fuel consumption.

The new MOVE configuration has ahighly manoeuvrableheadstock that allows the mower to move independently from the tractor’s front linkage.

This provides up to one metreof‘give’ vertically and up to 30 degrees laterally allowing the mower to work with optimal efficiency and safety in even the roughest of paddocks,” Dallan says.

Other featuresinclude arapidbladechangesystemfor easymaintenance; SAFETYLINKoverload system; andan

850 rpmEconomyPTO to minimise fuel consumption.

Tedding has an important role to play in optimisingforage quality by quickening drying time and reducing contamination.

CLAAS offers arange of mounted and trailed VOLTO tedders in working widths of 5.2 to 13m.

All models incorporate the MAX SPREAD crop flowconcept and ground contour tracking.

“Compared to conventional tedding systems, MAX SPREAD causes the spreading arms to work considerably longer in the direction of travel, thereby increasing crop pick-up,” Dallan says.

“The tines distributethe crop evenly right across the maximum operating width, regardless of the working speed.

This allows higher travel speeds and higher performance, and thanks to the lower engine speed, reduced fuel consumption.

The crop flows between the rotorsin almost straight lines, which means leafy crops like lucerne can be tedded without any problems.

The equal length fingers ensurethe crop is picked up, spread and layered evenly to ensureconsistent drying.”

Other features include amaintenance-free transmission, patented PERMALINK finger clutch system and power drawbar

CLAAS LINER rakes areavailable in 20 single, twin orquadrotor models with operating widths spanning from 3.5 to 15 metres.

“Each rotor is free to move independently of the chassis and is mounted on four or six wheels, allowing three-dimensional tracking over uneven ground,” Dallan says.

The larger models also featureafloating rotor suspension, which means the tines always stay parallel to the ground, ensuring raking remains clean at any speed.

This innovative design allows the rotors to adapt to any ground contour,ensuring aclean raking performance and high feed quality.”

Most models fold to atransport height of less than four metres without the need to removing individual tine arms.

Tine arms and tines can be easily removed or replaced.

Each pair of tines is offset by 10 degrees to create atrailing end that helps lift the crop from the ground,” Dallan says.

“This design ensures gentle and effective raking performance and optimal swath formation.”

The final stage of the Greenline harvesting system is processing and baling using a high performance CLAAS VARIANT400 variable-chamber round balers or CLAAS QUADRANT 5300 big squarebalers.

Bales can then be easily collected and stored using aCLAAS SCORPION telehandler

Contact CLAAS Harvest Centretoday and find out how CLAAS Greenline technology can increase the productivity and efficiency of your forageharvesting program this spring.

Leongatha gets wet and premiership

CERTIFIED freaks, seven days aweek.

Leongatha completed the double on in the Gippsland League Grand Final.

The Parrots 10.10 (70) to 6.12 (48) victory over Sale capped offanunbeaten season of football, ensuring the title of premiers and champions.

It was the first time aGippsland League premiership team had gone through an entireseason without losing agame since Maffra in 2004.

Leongatha’s winning streak extended far beyond this season, going all the way back to April last year.That is 28 wins in arow.

The Magpies weregallant in defeat, with the game still very much in the balance until about the 20-minute mark of the final term.

Sale won plenty of admirers reaching the Grand Final, getting to the decider after three tough and hard-fought finals.

Aloss in the qualifying final to Wonthaggi had the Magpies then defeat Traralgon on their home deck by three points in the first semi, beforeturning the tables on the Power in the preliminary final.

Carrying underdog status for most of the finals series, it was certainly a memorable journey for the black and white, who managed to get both teams into the Grand Final.

If someone had told you in January Sale’s reserves would make the Grand Final after finishing last in four of the past five seasons you would have got odds of 500-1.

Choppy conditions at TedSummerton Reserve made for asluggish Grand Final.

Ahuge westerly breeze played havoc throughout the day, so much so the goal posts at times looked as though they weregoing to topple over

During the reserves, anumber of clearing kicks out of defensive 50 at the Can Bar end ended up landing in the car park purely because of how strong the wind was. Conversely, those kicking out from full back with the wind from the scoreboard end wereeasily getting the ball to halfway.

The senior game started amid mildly calm conditions, but wintry weather had the lights turned on as early as the 10-minute mark of the second quarter Both teams traded blows in the opening stanza, each kicking three goals.

Sale was well and truly up for the fight, and did not seem overawed by the occasion in the slightest.

Asnap out of congestion by Leongatha captain TomMarriott showed his class, as the Parrots took athree-point lead into the first break.

The Magpies had done very well kicking three goals into the breeze, and now had achance to make use of the scoring end.

“Bite down” could be heardinthe Sale huddle. The phrase has become acatch cry for the Magpies this season, named after atermused by UFC fighter Tai Tui, afavourite of playing-coach Jack Johnstone. It essentially means bite down on the mouth guardand compete ferociously.

Another even quarter followed, with both teams kicking two goals.

Spectators werenot treated to an overly skilful display, but given the conditions, it was understandable why plenty of kicks went astray.

Sale forwardJarrod Freeman cut offa Leongatha rebound inside 50, and took a set shot no morethan 35 metres out on aslight angle.

To give you an idea of how strong the wind was, Freeman looked as though he was aiming to kick the ball between the goal and point post. The resultant kick swung from right to left dramatically and looked on target, only to hit the post flush.

The Magpies managed agoal to Will Leslie in the pocket, which got the margin to three points at the 18-minute mark.

As the siren sounded for the main break, it was still anyone’s game. Leongatha leading 5.5 (35) to 5.3 (33).

On the resumption the Parrots made some early inroads with agoal at the 15-minute mark, taking the lead to nine points.

The wind had eased by now, and players wereable to link up with abit moresurety.

Leongatha forwardAaron Hillberg scrambled agoal offthe deck just before redtime, and at that stage, although it

was only 15 points, in the context of the game, it felt as though the Parrots had enough of alead to go on with it.

However,the Magpies werenot done yet.

Johnstone took it upon himself, flying high for acontested mark inside 50, juggling the mark to take atelling grab.

Taking ashot from 40 metres, the kick registered just the minor score.

Without stating the obvious, at that stage you couldn’t help but think “he needed to kick that”.

Sale kicked four behinds for the quarter,while conversely, Leonagtha had just as many scoring shots but registered 2.2 (14).

And then, as if it was destined, literally as soon as players made their way to the three quarter time huddle, rain came absolutely hammering down.

All of asudden, the 12-point lead Leongatha had was worth acouple of goals more.

By then everyone at the ground knew it was going to be good old fashioned wet weather footy in the last term.

Sale dug deep, with agoal to Freeman at the five-minute mark cutting the margin to six points.

However,the Parrots wereable to respond, with agoal to NedHanily offthe ground five minutes later

Hanily had been brought in for the Grand Final in what was his first game since Round 17. What atime to repay the faith.

The Magpies still refused to surrender and kept searching for acouple of golden goals.

Harry Ronchi was given afreekick for contact below the knees at the

13-minute mark, but unfortunately, he kicked abehind, one of five Sale kicked for the term.

By now the rain had well and truly ruined the game as aspectacle.

Spectators cowered under whatever cover they could find, while wordgot down to the Leongatha bench that there was 10 minutes left at the 17-minute mark.

With the Parrots holding onto an eight-point lead, Aaron Turton seized an opportunity at the 19-minute mark, soccering the greasy ball from 20 metres out as Sale defenders werebearing down.

The ball slid its way through for agoal, which ended up being the sealer.He’d only kicked seven for the season before that.

Leongatha knew then and therethey no longer had to play to win the game -they just had to play to kill it.

With rain still falling, aquick glance up at the timekeepers’ box saw the man on the buzzer standing up, ready to hit the button signalling aParrots flag.

The siren eventually rang, sending Leongatha supporters onto the ground.

Most weretoo happy to careabout the rain, although it did look abit like agolf crowd with umbrellas scattered around the green stuff.

Leongatha’s Cade Maskell collected the AFL Victoria medal for best on ground, while Marriott took the Stan Aitken Medal, presented by current Traralgon Tyers United coach Jamie Aitken.

Others to play well in the win wereBen Willis, Jake van der Plight, Hanily and Hillberg.

Sale was well served by Jack Leslie, Will Leslie, Ryan Pendlebury, Freeman, Jack McLaren and Shannen Lange.

Lange put in amighty performance after appearing to play through anoticeable pain barrier

The win made it three premierships for Leongatha in the modernera.

The Parrots won previously in 2017 and 2018.

Interestingly, Leongatha has had three different coaches for each of those three flags (Beau Vernon, Paul Carbis and now Trent McMicking).

The Parrots areclearly awell-oiled machine -acoach can only do so much.

For Sale, the group should be better for the experience.

Thereisagreat deal of growth for the team, as seven that played last Saturday arestill 22 or under

Don’t forget, Leongatha lost two (2015, 2016) beforewinning the flag in 2017.

While therecould only be one winner, both teams need to be commended for one thing: on the player points system, Leongatha only had two players worth morethan one point, and Sale only had three.

Netball premiershipscelebrated

IN the end it was all too easy.

Morwell Football-Netball Club wrapped their claws around the 2022 Gippsland League AGrade premiership cup with a 44 to 32 win against Leongatha.

The clock read 3pm on Saturday, September 17, and black clouds rolled across the sky almost as if the Earth was saddened that the final instalment of 2022 netball was here.

Wind ripped across the Moe court as the Tigers and the Parrots strode onto the blue asphalt, taking their places for the 2022 premiership battle.

Sixty minutes would pass, and the apex carnivoreswouldwrap their razor-sharp teeth around the Parrots, ultimately devouring the birds in a12-goal Grand Final victory.

The whistleblew, the Tigers pounced, and the Parrots flew;GippslandLeague’s A Grade Grand Final started hard, it started fast, and it started rough.

The Parrots would not catch the Tigers by theend of thefirst quarter,Morwell leading 11 to 7asteams entered the second.

Tension was rising; the sun, now peeping through the cloud,illuminated theTiger army sitting at theend of thecourt, reflecting adazzling array of black and gold as they roared in encouragement.

Morwell extended to asix-point lead at the end of the second; Morwell, 22, Leongatha, 16.

The rain, which persisted throughout the entiresecond quarter,began to ease as the teams entered the third.

The Tigers broke a10-goal lead, and as teams headed into the final quarter,Morwell led Leongatha, 34 to 22.

Light rain descended from the sky, gently falling onto the bluecourt like white ash before disappearing, quickly becominga slip hazardfor players.

Where’s the sign that reads:slippery when wet?

The Parrots werelocked inside the Tigers jaw; therewas no escape.

Leongatha’s wing defence, Kayla Redpath goal defence Laura Higgins and goalkeeper Lauren Redpath continued to apply defensive pressureinthe finalquarter,but there was no stopping the Tigers now. They werethereto win, and win they would.

The final whistle sounded, the Tigers bit down, and the Parrots weretoast.

In aparticularly stunning match and a very special 250th game for Morwell’s Claire Allison, the Tigers retained their undefeated status andclaimed the 2022 Gippsland League premiership.

Morwell goalkeeper Courtney Garth was voted best on court, with Andrew Livingston from the Gippsland League boardawarding her the medallion.

In themoments following the Tigers’ monumental win, Morwell FNC’s AGrade coach RachelPatterson,was nearly lost for words.

“The whole club has supported us the wholeseason, and we arevery grateful and appreciative of that,so thank you,” she said.

“Thankyou toall the supporters; you guys areamazing.

“Tothe girls right hereinfront of me, we’ve had acracker of ayear right and, well, I actually don’t know what else to say. Ithink Ihave to process this and talk moreabout it later,” she said, laughing.

“One last thank you to the league; what afinals series hey, it has been awesome.”

TOORA wontheir firstMid Gippsland netball premiership by one second.

That was howlong it took for MirbooNorth to have the premiership snatchedfrom their grasp.

The Tigers werelevel with Toora right up until the final siren. With scores locked on

44 apiece, apenalty shot to Alana Manders saw the resulting ball go through the net, giving Toora apremiership after the siren.

It was the Magpies’ first AGradeflag coming in their first completed season as aMGFNL club.

Fair to say they won’t be forgetting that day in ahurry.

Achilly day enveloped Ronald Reserve at Morwell East for the decider,with Mirboo North entering the match favourites.

The Tigers had won their SecondSemi Final againstToora 55 to 49, while conversely, the Magpies only got through to the Grand Final after anerve-killing two-goal win over Yinnar in the Preliminary Final.

That win did come on Yinnar’s home deck, meaning Toora took some confidence into the match.

Mirboo Northstartedbrightly, and if omens were anything to go by, the Tigers had plenty of good ones.

The Tigers had already won B Grade and D Grade earlier in the day, and were hellbent on completing the trifecta.

Playing-coachEbonyBestworkedwell alongside the likes of Dani Blair and Jessie Holland during the first quarter Best cut acalm figureasshe addressed the team at quarter time, as the side set about making further inroads.

Toora, however,refused to go away, and kept persisting, as momentum ebbed and flowed over the next three quarters.

Come the last term, asizeable crowd had gathered to witness agrand stand finish. And they weren’t disappointed.

MirbooNorth lookedtohavethe game under control when they led by three late in the final term, but Toora again refused to concede, fighting it out until Manders had her crowning moment.

With the cup delivered south, the scorebook said Toora won the premiership by one goal.

What it didn’t say was Mirboo North lost it in one second.

One measly second

THE NorthGippsland AGrade netball Grand Final was amatch for the ages.

Woodside ended up winning in overtime, defeating Rosedale.

With 60 secondsleft, the score was Rosedale 40, Woodside 39, beforethe Wildcats levelled things up.

From the Blues centre, Carly Johnstone passedtoDemi Plunkett, Plunkett to Sarah Mayman, Mayman feeding the ball to Meg Gordyn.

Obstruction Woodside goalkeeper,Gordyn misses.

Lorelle Lowe sets up for her shot, time is called.

The 60 minutes wereup, and the scores weretied.

Teams returnedto their bench, hastily tapingbody parts and sipping much-needed water beforereturning to the court to play seven minutes each side in overtime.

Woodside was firsttoscore. Woodside scored again and again and again.

Abelligerent Libby Nicol put away eight

consecutive goals for Woodside.

After 74 exhausting minutes, Woodside claimed theirvictory, defeating Rosedale 56 to 48.

Woodside’s Caitlan Ponton took home the best on court award.

Preston

TRACTORS

Case 990, pwrsteer,rops canopy,vgc.

Case 1394, FWA, 4post rops canopy, tidy,77hp.

CatChallanger MT465B 4wd, a/c cab, ex.cond.

Ford TW15,fwa,a/c cab, 3pl, rem, newclutch, 143hp. Iseki 5000, 2wd, cab.

John Deere1120, rops, 2wd.

Kubota M100GX, FWA, 2000 hrs.

Massey Ferguson 355 turbo, a/c cab, p/steer,d/bar remotes.....

Massey Ferguson 240, rops.

Same Dorado, 85hp, FWA Zetor6945, 4wd, rops

LOADERS

Kubota B6100, FWA,ROPS, FEL

Massey Ferguson 11,FEL, 1mtr bucket,rops. Zetor5945,4wd,cab,fel

FARM IMPLEMENTS

3pl aerorator.

3pl 500kgsuper spreader

9ft– 12ft smudgers.

Assortedgrader blades.

Assortedhay forks &spikes.

Connor Shea 10 row disc 3pl seeder

Hardi600 ltr 3pl boom spray, 7.7mtr boom& hosereel.

Hyd3pl silage balefeeder

Mulcher,8ft Silvan with hyd.sideshift.

New Holland Roll-Belt 150Superfeed baler,asnew 2020

Post hole diggers 6” to 18”

Post rammer,Aussie Driver withhyd.side shift.

TYRES

Assortednew andsecond hand from 16”to46”.

WANTED

Deutz 13006 4wdtractor

WANTED