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Wednesday 19 April 2023
Tornado trees ‘become missiles’ MAX FRETHEY
Local Democracy Reporter
Clean-ups and repairs are on the mind of affected residents after a tornado tore across the Moutere Hills on Easter Monday. The tornado – which is reckoned to have formed somewhere in Gardener Valley – knocked out
power by throwing a shed into a power line before it wreaked havoc along Petra Way, just off Old Coach Road. Cathie and Andrew Gould have an olive orchard along Petra Way where about 200 trees – just six weeks from harvest – were uprooted, with many thrown dozens of metres away and some
even landing on roofs. “They just became missiles,” Cathie says. Since last Tuesday the couple have been working hard with the help of many of their friends, on the advice of an arborist friend, to save as many of the trees as they can by pruning the branches to conserve their water and replant-
ing those without major root damage as quickly as possible. “That’s the plan to try and rescue them,” Cathie says. “They’ve been in the ground 15-18 years, so we don’t want to lose them.” During the clean-up, Andrew says he’s found “the oddest things” in the debris which he suspects came from someone’s
garage: screwdrivers, sprinklers, a bicycle, a kayak paddle, and, unfortunately, many birds which had been caught in the vortex. A ride-on lawn mower was also thrown around in the tornado and one of their trees caught a neighbour’s mangled trampoline.
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Giant win for Wakefield couple JO KENT A bit of spousal rivalry has paid off for one local couple after they took first and second place in the annual Wakefield Smashing Pumpkins competition. Phil Lovegrove won with his 121.5kg entry, while wife Robyn placed second with hers weighing 68.5kg. “It’s funny because she beat me last year, even though my pumpkin was bigger, hers was heavier,” Phil says. “I really wanted to beat her this time and was so pleased I came first. I even set a new record as mine weighed 10kg than last year’s winner.” The competition is in its second year after being set up over drinks at the Wakefield Hotel, where all the members meet once a month to discuss the progress of their pumpkins.
SEE PAGE 2
Phil Lovegrove with his 121.5kg winning pumpkin and trophy. Photo: Jo Kent.
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